More than 50,000 people have voted by mail in Manatee. Starting Monday, you can vote in person

More than 50,000 people in Manatee County have already returned their ballots for the Nov. 3 general election. Starting Monday, you can start voting in person.

There are six early voting locations in Manatee County this election cycle. Unlike voting on Election Day, any registered voter can vote at any of the six locations. For those voting on Election Day, you must vote at your assigned precinct.

The six early voting locations that open Monday morning are:

• Florida Department of Transportation Office, 14000 State Road 64 E., Bradenton.
• Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch.
• Manatee County Utilities Administration Office, 4410 66th St. W., Bradenton.
• Palmetto Library, 923 Sixth St. W., Palmetto
• Rocky Bluff Library, 6750 U.S. Hwy. 301, Ellenton.
• Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, 600 301 Blvd. W., Bradenton.

Early voting locations open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 6:30 p.m. each day through Nov. 1. You must provide a current and valid photo identification with signature in order to vote.

As of Sunday morning, more than 120,000 vote-by-mail ballots have been requested from the elections office and just under 49,793 Manatee County voters had already mailed their ballots back or dropped off their ballots at the elections office.

Early voting locations also will act as drop-off locations for mail-in ballots.

Masks not required

The Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office will take extra measures to sanitize polling locations during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but face masks will not be required.

The elections office is strongly encouraging everyone to wear masks, and poll workers will ensure social distancing occurs for voters waiting to cast their ballots.

There are 273,923 registered voters in Manatee County, and 120,693 had requested mail-in ballots, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

Registered Democrats in Manatee are outpacing Republicans in returned ballots as of Oct. 14, though Republicans have requested more ballots by a thin margin.

Total voter registrations by party:

• Republicans: 118,588
• Democrats: 83,780
• No Party Affiliation and others: 71,555

Vote-by-mail ballots requested as of Monday morning, by party:

• Republicans: 47,353
• Democrats: 46,616
• No Party Affiliation and others: 26,724

Mail-in ballots returned as of Monday morning, by party:

• Democrats: 22,507
• Republicans: 18,276
• No Party Affiliation and others: 9,888

To ask questions about early voting, call the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office at 941-741-3823.

This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 11:15 AM.