In the recent 2024 presidential election, early voting skyrocketed across not only Scott County but across the entire country.
More than 80 million Americans cast their votes early in this election. With the exception of the pandemic protocol during the 2020 election, forcing lots of mail in ballots and early in-person voting, this is a record-setting number.
On a local scale, out of the 140,000 registered voters in Scott County, 41,000 (29% of eligible voters) had cast their ballots early as of Monday (Nov. 4) morning, per Sheriff Tim Lane. Given that Scott County typically has a turnout of approximately 80% of eligible voters exercising their right to vote, this is a staggering statistic.
While this election was believed to be monumental for the United States in numerous ways, senior voter Gabi Ragins explained the importance of this election to her. “For me, voting meant having a voice in what is going on in our country and what direction we’re going in, especially since it will directly affect me now,” Ragins said.
Additionally, she felt that the ability to vote early was beneficial. “I think early voting was to the advantage of some voters who aren’t able to go during average voting times. I believe this would also be an advantage for voters with disabilities who wouldn’t really be able to be around the crowds. Really, it could be to the advantage of all voters just to get the stress out of the way,” expressed Ragins.
Senior Constanza Viera also enjoyed having the opportunity to vote early in the election. “Early voting was a huge advantage for me because I know that if I were to vote on Election Day, I would have been super stressed out. Early voting can be to the advantage of all voters because I know that most people would like to have the option to vote on their own time,” Viera explained.
While nothing has been confirmed yet, voter turnout in this election is approaching the record set in 2020, where 66% of those eligible cast a vote. Whether it’s due to the stakes of this election, increased civic engagement or the accessibility of early voting, this higher involvement demonstrates the importance of political engagement.
