ORLANDO — Orange County voters enter the final weekend of early voting Saturday with one of the most consequential local elections of the year only three days away—and a larger question hanging over the ballot:
Who will actually show up to choose the county’s next leaders?
by Lee Dixon, OrlandoAdvocate.com
Early voting continues Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. at 27 locations across Orange County. Voters participating early may cast ballots at any of those locations, regardless of their assigned Election Day precinct. Orange County Supervisor of Elections
That flexibility ends Monday night.
On Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 18, voters must report to the polling place assigned to their home address.
The ballot includes contests with immediate consequences for Orange County government and schools.
Among them are races involving county mayor, school board, judgeships and other local offices. WKMG
Yet primary elections historically attract far less attention than presidential contests.
Earlier this month, the League of Women Voters of Orange County focused canvassing efforts on Parramore’s Precinct 603, which organizers identified as one of the county’s lowest-turnout precincts. Spectrum News 13
That matters because elections do not distribute political influence according to population.
They distribute it according to ballots.
A community containing thousands of eligible voters can exercise surprisingly little electoral influence if only a small number participate.
Meanwhile, a smaller community with high turnout can command considerably greater attention from campaigns and elected officials.
Local government makes decisions affecting housing, roads, land development, parks, policing, schools, taxes and billions of dollars in public spending.
Those decisions continue whether most residents participate in choosing the officials who make them or not.
Which Orange County communities are participating in this election—and which are allowing other neighborhoods to make the decision for them?
Once early voting ends Sunday night, the Advocate should obtain the latest available turnout data and map participation geographically.
Pay particular attention to Parramore, Pine Hills, Eatonville and historically Black precincts.
Not to shame communities.
To reveal where political power is actually being exercised.
- Lee Dixon
- Lee Dixon
- Lee Dixon
- Lee Dixon
