DeLand, FL - Over 40,000 Volusia County residents have already cast a ballot for next Tuesday's presidential primary election.
That's the word from the Volusia County Department of Elections as early voting in the county wraps up on Saturday. That's also the case for Flagler County.
10,038 people have cast ballots in Volusia so far during the early voting period as of Thursday night. That does not count provisional ballots.
Of Volusia's 5 early voting sites, the busiest has been the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library. 2,647 people have voted there as of Thursday night. Ormond Beach Regional Library is not far behind with 2,252 ballots cast as of Thursday night.
The Daytona Beach Regional Library at City Island has seen 1,729 voters since early voting began March 5th. The Supervisor of Elections Office in DeLand reports 1,708 and the Deltona Regional Library rounds out the list with 1,675 voters as of Thursday night.
Early voting has been much busier than in the last presidential primary in 2012 because both major parties are holding primaries this year. Only the Republicans did so in 2012.
Republicans have led the way so far in early voting with 5,763 ballots cast. 4,233 Democrats have also early voted in the closed primary.
Another 42 have cast early votes in Edgewater as the March 15th election has a referendum on the ballot there. It's the only Volusia city with something on the ballot for next Tuesday other than the presidential race.
Another 33,000 or so voters have voted through absentee ballots, according to Volusia County Deputy Supervisor of Elections Lisa Lewis.
Flagler has received 7,007 early votes so far and another 5,526 absentee ballots as of Thursday night. They've also gotten 14 provisional ballots.
Like in Volusia, the GOP is dominating early in Flagler. 8,053 Republicans have either early voted or used absentees compared to 4,474 Democrats.
Other than a seat on the Bunnell City Commission, every other city in Flagler only has the presidential race on their ballot.
Copyright 2016 Southern Stone Communications.
