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Wednesday is the last day to request a mail-in ballot for general election

By Staff

Wednesday is the last day to request a mail-in ballot from the Lee County Supervisor of Elections office.
Supervisor of Elections Sharon Harrington said Tuesday the deadline is necessary to ensure that mail-in ballots have sufficient time to be returned to elections office by Nov. 2.
Harrington said too that all Lee County military personnel, stationed either stateside or abroad, have already received their absentee ballots.
She said they were sent on Sept. 18, and that roughly 850 Lee County military personnel will have the chance to vote in November’s general election.
“Military personnel have an extra 10 days after the election to get their ballots back to us and have their votes counted,” Harrington said.
In Lee County, which has a minimal enlisted military population compared to other communities in Florida, Harrington said their votes would probably not sway local elections.
But she did add that in cities like Jacksonville, absentee military votes could help to make or break local races.
“In places like Jacksonville and Pensacola, places where they have large bases, those votes could definitely sway local elections,” she said.
In other news, Cape Coral is still doing well in early voting numbers, though Bonita Springs is threatening to supplant the city as the number two early voter destination.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 4,620 people had taken advantage of early voting in Cape Coral, while 4,609 people voted in Bonita Springs.
Roughly 5,700 voted in the Elections Center near Bell Tower in Fort Myers, while 18,313 people have voted county wide. Harrington said that’s 5,000 votes ahead early voting numbers for the August primary.
Harrington said the lines and wait times at the Cape Coral branch office have been short because people have been studying their sample ballots before heading to the poles.
She said the early voting turnout will likely have an effect on election day.
“I’m sure this will take the heat off of the precincts on election day,” Harrington said. “But I think it’s taking people a little bit longer than they realized.”
Sample ballots are still available from Harrington’s office. Just call 533-VOTE to request a sample ballot.