5 p.m. update: Spectrum Bay News 9 checked with county election offices across the area and received these turnout numbers shortly before 5 p.m.

• Hillsborough: 17.91%
• Pinellas: 24.33%
• Polk: 15.21%
• Manatee: 22.64%
• Pasco: 14.47%
• Hernando: 20.64
• Citrus: 30.67%

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TAMPA, Fla. — Voter turnout on Primary Election Day has been slow across Hillsborough County.

According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office, turnout is at around 15 percent through midday Tuesday.

Hillsborough County voters will decide on a public defender, two judges, and the possibility of four school board members. These positions will not be going to the general election as they all will be decided today.

There are also some county commission races on the ballot where parties will choose a candidate to move forward.

Craig Latimer, Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, said these are the races that are extremely important to vote on.

“Unfortunately, we hang right around 25 percent for primaries and of course 2020 we went to 77 percent turnout,” Latimer said. “So, primaries are generally lower turnout. One of the big misses in that is people think if they’re not party affiliation, there’s nothing for them to vote on the ballot and they’re wrong. They can vote on the school board races, they can vote for the judges.”

In the Bay area, Hillsborough County had the biggest turnout of early voters. It’s the largest county in the area and more than 25,000 people cast their ballots early.

Pasco had more than 9,000 people vote early and Pinellas had the fewest, with 4,000.

VOTER INFORMATION

The only statewide race on the ballot is for the Senate seat held by Republican Rick Scott, who will learn who he’ll face in November.

But plenty of local races will be the main motivator to get people to the polls, including school board seats, judges, commissioners and local representatives.

At the voter deadline for the primary, Republicans outnumbered Democrats 5.3 million to 4.3 million in Florida, with 3.5 million voters choosing not to register with a party.

Those with any questions about the process to vote can access the voting guide on the Supervisor of Elections website.

The Supervisor of Elections Offices is also encouraging you to bring your sample ballot and use it as a guide when you cast your vote.

The county will release all Vote-by-Mail and early voting totals on Tuesday.

Residents can still cast ballots Tuesday.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

County-by-County Quick Election Day Links

Hillsborough | Pinellas | Pasco | Hernando | Manatee | Citrus | Polk | Government Links | Political Parties