Collier County encourages early voting ahead of busy Election Day anticipation

Election officials in Collier County say early voting numbers are tapering off, and they worry that only means there will be longer lines on Election Day. We spoke to several people Thursday night who say they are still going to wait.

“I just want to wait till Election Day,” Pedro Dorado said. “It feels more exciting, and it’s more of a tradition.”

For Dorado, Election Day is a dream that will soon come true.

“Me as an immigrant, I just became a citizen two years ago, so this is my first time voting ever,” Dorado said. “So it’s going to be exciting for me.”

Others say waiting just feels right.

“I think that for the candidate I’m voting for, if we get out and vote on Election Day, I think it’s going to mean something more than mailing in the ballot,” Frank Paladino said.

But the more people wait the longer the lines will be Tuesday.

“We know that turnout is going to be huge,” said Trish Robertson, a public information officer with Collier County Supervisor of Elections Office. “It always is huge in Collier County.”

Robertson says early voting numbers have slowed down. With COVID-19 still out there, the voting process could take even longer.

“We’re having our poll workers sanitize in between each voter,” Robertson said.

Collier County Elections says around 65% of the county voted already, but its still have a ways to go, and lines can get pretty long if more people don’t come out to early vote. Voters still have two days left to vote early.

But this is not stopping some from voting on Election Day.

“It’s going to be fun,’ said Dorado, who does not mind waiting in line.

MORE: Early Voting- Collier County Supervisor of Elections Office

“We know there will be traditional voters who want to vote on Election Day, and that’s OK,” Robertson said. “But if any voters have an opportunity to vote early, we want to encourage them to do that.”