<body><div>Turnout for early voting has been painted red by Republicans so far in all five counties in the Jacksonville metropolitan area with them holding a lead even in Duval County, where Democrats usually have been more active before election day.Republicans are up by about 3 percentage points over Democrats in Duval County when votes cast at early voting sites are combined with ballots returned by mail.The spread is even bigger in the outlying counties where Republican turnout is ahead by 34 points in St. Johns County, 42 points in Clay County, 45 points in Nassau County and 62 points in Baker County, according to results posted Monday morning.Early voting started Oct. 21 and will run through Sunday, so at this point, the margin is like the score of a football game at halftime. The results just show who is showing up based on party affiliation, not which candidates they're backing in races for president, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and other down-ballot races.The Republican Party has been urging its voters to cast their ballots during early voting and that message has resonated. At a get-out-the vote rally Saturday headlined by U.S. Sen. Rick Scott in Jacksonville, almost all of the attendees raised their hands when asked if they've already voted.Speakers said the GOP is aiming for a dominating performance over Democrats.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2rhU6r_0wPvhAr800" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2rhU6r_0wPvhAr800" width="960" height="720" ><figcaption>Republican Party voters cheer while U.S. Sen. Rick Scott speaks at a get-out-the-vote event Oct. 26, 2024 at the Diamond D Ranch in Jacksonville.</figcaption></figure>"We've had a great first five days of early voting, but we need to bust our butts for nine more days, and when we do, all the Democrats will be gone," Scott said during the rally at the Diamond D Ranch on the Westside that also featured U.S. Sen John Barrasso of Wyoming and U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach."It's time we show them a lesson," Florida Young Republican Chairman Brandon Ludwig said. "We need a record landslide, bigger than in 2022, and right now, we're on track."Democrats also have been pushing for their voters to cast ballots now. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison joined Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, the Democratic nominee challenging Scott, for a "We Vote, We Win" rally last week on the second day of early voting."United, we will stand strong against all the attacks we have been facing," Mucarsel-Powell said after going through a list of issues she said are at stake in the election. "We will elect the first woman president to the White House in electing Kamala Harris, and we will make history by sending the first woman to United States Senate right here from the state of Florida. Let's do it."<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0600ga_0wPvhAr800" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0600ga_0wPvhAr800" width="960" height="720" ><figcaption>U.S. Sen. Rick Scotts speaks at a Republican Party get-out-the-vote event on Oct. 26, 2024 at the Diamond D Ranch in Jacksonville. Scott is running for re-election.</figcaption></figure>In Duval County, which has the biggest share of registered voters in the five-county area, about 43.2% of nearly 193,000 ballots cast through Sunday were by registered Republicans compared to 40.3% by Democratic voters. Other ballots came from voters without party affiliation or belonging to other parties.St. Johns County posted the second-highest turnout at about 87,800 ballots, of which 58% came from Republicans and 24% from Democrats.In Clay County, 63% of the nearly 55,000 ballots were from Republicans and 21% from Democrats. It was lopsided as well In Nassau County where 64% of about 30,300 ballots were from Republicans compared to 19% from Democrats.In Baker County, 77% of the roughly 4,800 ballots were cast by Republicans and about 15% by Democrats.This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Northeast Florida counties post big GOP leads in early voting</div></body>

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Republicans see big win coming in early voting turnout in Jacksonville area

Turnout for early voting has been painted red by Republicans so far in all five counties in the Jacksonville metropolitan area with them holding a lead even in Duval County, where Democrats usually have been more active before election day. Republicans are up by about 3 percentage points over Democrats...