We teamed up with journalism students from UCF to talk to Central Florida voters about their opinions and attitudes on election day. Here’s what voters told us at the polls.
Student: ‘It felt good to vote for a woman’ | 1:06 p.m.
Katie Coyle, a student at the University of Central Florida, was driven to the polls Tuesday by her passion for gun control and abortion rights.
Coyle, 20, an aerospace engineering major at UCF, is from Broward County but lives on campus, where she voted.
“I am very passionate about gun control,” Coyle said. “I know there isn’t really anything specifically on the ballot but hopefully in the future.”
Coyle voted yes on Amendment 4 for access to abortion and a women’s right to choose.
“I just don’t want the government to tell me what to do with my body, so, I am here,” she said.
Coyle said that it was hard for her to choose a party but she ended up placing her presidential vote for Kamala Harris.
“Ultimately I had to go with the lesser of two evils,” Coyle said. “A lot of people have to do that.”
But she is confident she cast the right vote.
“It felt good to vote for a woman,” Coyle said.
Cassidy Mills – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School Student
A Trump supporter proud to vote in Osceola | 2:30 pm
Aridia Figueroa, 73, walked out of the West Osceola Library with a smile on her face.
A native of the Dominican Republic, she moved to Osceola County more than 20 years ago.
“I’m now a citizen so voting is my constitutional right, so I have to vote,” Figueroa said. “I believe in God, and he would want me to vote because it’s my duty.”
The retired Disney housekeeping worker said she voted Republican down the ballot. Ahead of time, Figueroa said she studied a mailer that listed all the Republican candidates in local and state races to make sure she “didn’t make a mistake.”
Figueroa said she also voted for former President Donald Trump in 2020 and hopes he will be elected again.
“Trump is crazy but he has values and what he says he does,” she said. “When he was president the gas was low…and most important to me as a Christian he united religion with the government.”
Natalia Jaramillo of the Sentinel staff.
All this and an ‘I Voted’ sticker, too | 12:58 pm
UCF student Julien Tartar came out to vote Tuesday to speak up for what he thinks is right — and he liked getting a sticker for it.
“I think it’s important to vote for what you think is right,” Tartar said.
Tartar, 18, voted for Kamala Harris and voted yes on Amendment 3 for the legalization of marijuana.
“I think ultimately marijuana is safer when it is legalized that way it is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and that way it’s less people getting killed from laced marijuana,” Tartar said.
When asked how it felt to vote for the first time, he joked that he “did it for the sticker.’’
Tartar, who lives on campus, liked that he could vote at an on-campus precinct.
“I probably wouldn’t have voted or I wouldn’t have voted as soon as the day if I didn’t have it right here,” Tartar said.
Sarah Lynott – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School Student
Long lines discourage 2 UCF students | 12:45 p.m
Two UCF students walked out of an Orange County precinct Tuesday afternoon without voting, after they realizing they faced a 90-minute wait.
Maya Delucca, 21, a senior studying criminal justice, said she would come back later in the afternoon when she had more time. While she said she was still undecided on whether she was going to vote for president, she was determined to return to vote on the state constitutional amendments.
“Amendments 3 and 4 are what I care to vote on,” Delucca said. “I believe, personally, feel led to vote yes on both of these measures.”
Despite having difficulty deciding between those running for president, Delucca said she was excited to be able to vote in a general election for the first time.
“It feels cool to be able to have a voice,” Delucca said. “As a person who is registered to vote, I feel I should exercise my right to vote.”
Her friend, Ashley Hence, 21, said she would not be able to return because she did not have time to wait in line. She said her family was in town and she wanted to be able to see them, and she also had to work in the evening.
Hence, a senior studying kinesiology, said it would be easier to vote if the lines were not as long or if people were not confined to one polling location on Election Day.
“I haven’t been able to vote before, so I wanted to do it,” Hence said. “But I have just accepted the fact that I won’t be able to vote in this election.”
Both said they did could not vote early because of their school and work schedules.
Both also said they felt somewhat hesitant and unsure about all the issues on the ballot.
Kendal Asbury – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Women’s rights draw 2 young women to the polls | 11:31 a.m.
Friends Koby Hendrix, 22, and Janiyah Thompson, 20, arrived at Precinct 506 in Orange County on Tuesday with the same concern: “This election is going to make or break us.”
The duo said that much was at stake between the presidential ticket and Amendment 4, and that women’s rights hung in the balance.
“I’ve personally voted for Harris,” Hendrix said. “I feel like she’s actually going to get us out of this really bad era, and she kind of looks at women’s rights overall. And since I’m a Black female in this country, I feel like she’s advocating for us and he’s just advocating for the richer.”
Thompson said she is especially passionate about Amendment 4.
“Yes on 4, yes for access to abortion, because everyone has the right to bodily autonomy, especially women, when it comes to their reproductive health, like there’s no if, and, or but’s about it,” Thompson said.
Hendrix said she did not vote in the previous general election because she “didn’t really care.” But now, as a legal studies major at the University of Central Florida, Hendrix said she wants to be a district attorney just like Harris, and came out to Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Latin Americana to cast her vote.
“As I’m getting older, I’m seeing that the election and who we choose to represent us really affects us in all aspects of our lives,” she said.
Sofia Sutter – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Harris voters at Precinct 70 in Oviedo | 11:30 a.m.
Short lines at the CrossLife Church in Oviedo allowed voters to flow easily in and out of the precinct’s polling stations.
Rashon Averett, 44, said of all the elections he’s participated in, this was the fastest at the polls.
“I actually had expected to use a couple of hours of my day just in case,” Averett said. “I heard different things about different polls and one friend of mine waited for almost three hours on the UCF campus, so I was prepared to possibly wait that long, but this is quick and easy. “
Originally from New Jersey, the Oviedo resident said he voted “yes” on Amendments 3 and 4.
“I was, like many people, very upset about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. I actually want to have a lot of rights protected by voting yes on 4 as well as on 3. There’s so many people in jail for marijuana,” Averett said “So hopefully Amendment 3 actually passes because that’s a big deal to me.”
Michelle Hankins, 56, a self-employed Oviedo resident, said she also feels passionate about Amendments 3 and 4. When asked about her beliefs, Hankins said, “I would definitely say more Democratic. There are some awesome conservative views. I don’t think they’re all bad, but I do think that Harris is the obvious better choice.”
Averett said he is a frequent voter, but this year in particular, he voted because he is looking for a change.
“I don’t want another four years to somebody we’ve already had. Wasn’t a big fan of his so I’m making sure that we try somebody new,” Averett said.
That somebody new would be Vice President Harris, who he said will help bring change to accommodate the way times have changed.
“I hate to bring age into it, but Kamala I feel like going forward, she’s more aligned with the values of people from the 25 and up versus the 65 and up,” Averett said. “I think going back to him would be a step back.”
Makayla Gray – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Registered Democrat votes Green — for Palestine | 12:06 p.m.
Although he’s a registered Democrat, Hamza Almushiti, 23, said he voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein for president. He believes Stein to be more in line with his values than Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, especially on the rights of Palestinians.
The conflict is personal, as Almushiti is Palestinian and has extended family still stuck overseas.
“Trump is not going to end the war, and at least Jill Stein has publicly advocated for Palestinian rights,” said Almushiti, who voted at Precinct 541 in East Lake Elementary School.
Among Florida’s amendments, Almushiti’s biggest concern was Amendment 4, which overturns the state’s strict six-week abortion ban.
“I’m all for pro-choice, especially like with rape victims and what-not,” Almushiti said.
Almushiti brought his sisters with him to the polls so they could see what the election looked like. Even though the two are not old enough to vote themselves, their perspectives are still reflected in their older brother’s vote.
Almushiti is also worried about the economy and how it will impact him and his family.
“I do need more money, that’s for sure, and less taxes… and less sending our taxes to countries that are genocidal,” Almushiti said.
Gabriella Jaye Herrera – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
After nudging, young voter pedals his way to polls | 11:14 a.m.
Justin Kanfer, 20, a student at the University of Central Florida, said he wasn’t planning to vote on Tuesday because he didn’t like the candidates.
But he ended up cycling to Precinct 506 in Orange County to cast his vote, because his sister was “very insistent” that it was important to participate.
Kanfer added that he wasn’t under pressure to vote for a particular candidate.
“I think it’s the fact that I wasn’t voting, the fact that I was stepping away from it, that like bothered her and my friends,” Kanfer said. “So I think the fact that I even came here at all is probably gonna be good in their eyes.”
Kanfer said he was also drawn by the opportunity to vote for Amendment 3, which would legalize the sale of marijuana.
“I’m generally just in favor of decriminalization of drugs like overall,” Kanfer said. “It just feels like it creates sort of a stigma against getting help for the actual people with addiction, as well as restricting the ones that aren’t as harmful for people that could use them more usefully.”
As he got on his bike to leave the polling place at Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Latin Americana, Kanfer said he was glad he was able to cast his vote.
“Go vote,” Kanfer said. “It’s important to do, even if you feel like it doesn’t matter or you hate everyone, choose the least of the worst, I guess.”
Sofia Sutter – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Pair makes sure their vote does not go up in smoke | 11:55 a.m.
Two voters showed up to Orange County precinct at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church eager to cast their ballot in support of Amendment 3 to legalize pot.
Christopher Banbury, who spent 8 years in Canada, was happy to be in the United States on Election Day this year.
“I was out of the country last time, and I didn’t get to vote, so I’m just back here to vote again in Orange County,” Banbury said.
Banbury casted his vote for Trump, though in the past he did not like the former president.
“I didn’t really used to like Donald Trump back in the 2000s and ’90s,’’ Banbury said. “I mean, he was a brash, kind of a rude, New Yorker. Growing up in the South, it really didn’t appeal to me much. But, I didn’t like the way the (Democrats) closed ranks against him in the last election, and I didn’t like the way that they pursued him. I was impressed with the way he stood up to it.’’
Banbury voted yes on Amendment 3, which would allow adults 21 years and older to purchase and use marijuana products for recreational use.
“I’m a Christian, Southern boy. It was evil when I was growing up, and I don’t do it,’’ he said. “I don’t like the way it smells. But, I don’t think it’s right the way that it’s been criminalized, and people have been abused over it. I realize that it’s a tough issue and that there’s going to be pluses and minuses to its legalization and I don’t like the way that the government is kind of sat on the whole monetization of it and regulation of it.”
Collin Bochte said voting yes on Amendment 3 was his key reason for going to the polls.
“I really wanted to vote yes on 3. I didn’t really care about anything else,” Bochte said.
“I believe it is a great tax-turning opportunity for our state. I believe medically it’s already been proven to be very beneficial for those that need it,” he said.
On his ballot, Bochte did not vote for president, leaving that section blank.
“I just didn’t feel like getting myself involved. I didn’t really like either option,” Bochte said.
Maci Castillo – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Amendments 3 and 4 drive voters to the polls | 11:30 a.m.
While many voters consider the presidential race to be the most important contest in the election, others have shown up to the polls to bubble in their votes on the proposed amendments to Florida’s constitution.
Kathy Dibenedetto, 79, is a retired registered nurse, said she has voted nearly every election since she turned 18 and showed up early Tuesday morning at her east Orange precinct to cast her vote specifically for the amendments.
“I think it’s our duty for the country to get out and vote,” Dibenedetto said. “And Amendment 3 and 4 – it was very important for me to get out and vote against each of them.”
Dibenedetto said she voted against Amendment 3, which would legalize marijuana, as she thinks that it is not a safe drug and that it should remain illegal to protect the health of residents and minimize smoking in public places.
Abortion should not be completely unrestricted, she said, as the procedure is wrong because “it’s taking life.”
Brook Stealey, 48, said her support of both amendments was a key reason she went to the same poll to vote Tuesday.
“Women’s rights is something I feel passionate about,” Stealey said. “No one should be able to tell us what we can and can’t do with our own body.”
Stealey was equally blunt about her choice for president.
“I just do not like Trump,” Stealey said. “I don’t think our country will do good if he is elected.”
Kendal Asbury – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Orange County stay-at-home mom votes for Trump and marijuana | 11:32 a.m.
Orange County stay-at-home mom Kristen Crow, 51, voted at the precinct at East Lake Elementary School for former President Donald Trump, who she believes will be better at protecting the Constitution and parental rights.
“I was pretty happy with the Trump administration,” Crow said. “Harris administration, not so much.”
Crow said she voted for Amendment 3, which would legalize marijuana, though it was not an easy decision. She used to live in Washington and said she has seen first-hand the impacts of allowing weed into a community.
“We’ve seen what it does, and it does have a negative with it, but it does have some positive, so I voted for it, which is a hard one,” Crow said.
She thinks Florida’s government will be able to handle legalizing marijuana better than the state of Washington did.
While she is in favor of the amendment, Crow doesn’t want Florida to go as far with marijuana as Washington did. “They had legalized injection sites, which was not good. We lived way too close to those, and there were needles on playgrounds,” Crow said.
Gabriella Jaye Herrera – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Retired couple support Trump, abortion rights | 11:30 a.m.
Cathy Lyter-Iooss, 77, said she doesn’t like where the country is headed and that influenced how she voted at her Oviedo precinct.
“We have no respect in the world by foreign powers,’’ Lyter-Iooss said. “We’re on the verge of wars, which I don’t think we need to be in, and the economy is — we’re retired, or he’s semi-retired, but we’re on a fairly fixed income and it’s, it’s challenging.’’
She also said she’s upset by unchecked immigration.
“I have friends from all over the world that they spent a lot of money with lawyers and a lot of time in order to become citizens, and for us to just freely let people walk over this border and give them the same right as a citizen, I’m so opposed to that,” Lyter-Iooss said.
James Iooss, 78, agreed.
“We need to have somebody strong in there. If you’ve looked over what has happened over the last four years, a lot of the turmoil is because we have weak leadership.”
Both Iooss, who served in the military for three years before he was wounded in the Vietnam War in 1969, and his wife voted for former President Donald Trump.
“I may not necessarily like him, but I like what he is putting forth, and that would be Donald Trump.”
But the couple bucked Republican leaders and voted for Amendment 4, which would protect abortion rights in Florida.
“First of all, I don’t think the government should be involved in abortion at all. I think that should be a family. The morality should come from the families, not from the government,” Lyter-Iooss said.
Both husband and wife voted against Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational marijuana.
“And as far as marijuana, I’ve seen what it’s done to Denver and Colorado and Washington state and California. I lived in those states, and I do not want Florida to become a state full of drugged up kids,” Lyter-Iooss said.
The couple said they spent a lot of time reviewing sample ballots and the issues before Election Day.
“We do a lot of research. We don’t just come down and vote, you know. So we’re prepared, because I truly believe if you’re going to vote, you should know what you’re voting for,” Lyter-Iooss said.
Makayla Gray – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Border policy, high food costs bring Trump voter to polls | 11:30 a.m.
Timothy Tuthill, 65, voted for Donald Trump and said that he came to precinct at the Oviedo Mall to “make the difference in how the country is going.”
He worries most about immigration and the rising cost of food and energy. Tuthill is raising his grandson and he was concerned about his grandson’s Medicaid being dropped.
“They canceled Medicaid for a lot of kids. That hit home to us because my wife and I are on a fixed income and we have to pay for him to go to the doctor now,” Tuthill said.
Valeria Bartra – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Voting moving quickly at Seminole precinct because so many voted early
Early voting looked to make Election Day easier for those casting ballots at the West Branch library in northwest Seminole County on Tuesday morning.
Voters moved in and out at a brisk pace, a stark difference from Saturday morning, when dozens of voters ready to cast early ballots lined up outside the library off Hunt Club Boulevard.
“I think early voting has made it easier on Election Day,” said Albert Maturen, 60, as he sat in his golf cart — heavily adorned with pro-Trump signs — while smiling and waving to those entering the parking lot. He had voted earlier.
A few feet away, Robert Oyster sat in a chair wearing a blue t-shirt with the names Harris and Walz in the front.
Cars occasionally stopped and a window would roll down, and Oyster would stand and lean forward to hand a passenger a pamphlet with a list of candidates endorsed by the Democratic Party.
Oyster, 73, remembers voting for former President Richard Nixon in 1972 while living in Ohio. It was a time when voting in that state was done only on election day.
“It’s probably much easier today,” he said about casting an early ballot. “Last week, it was very busy. A lot of people lined up outside. Not so much today. There was a small line at 7 a.m.”
Maturen agreed. As a retired Marine Corps veteran, he remembered casting absentee ballots while in the service. But most people voted on Election Day and some “would have to wait for hours.”
State website for voter registration lookup is down
A state website Floridians use to check their voter registration status appears to be down, sparking concerns from voting rights advocates.
The Department of State’s voter information lookup page returned error messages Tuesday morning. The problem doesn’t impact the vote count. And a department spokesman said voters can access the same information on their local supervisor of elections website.
“Voting operations have not been impacted in any way,” said Mark Ard, a spokesman for the state department. “The county Supervisor of Elections’ websites are still operable for any voter to look up their registration status. The state’s courtesy website is encountering record-high traffic. Any voter having difficulty utilizing the state courtesy look-up web page should go to their county SOE webpage for the same service.
With the state site down, voting rights groups urged voters to call the local elections offices if needed.
“It is urgent for voters to be able to find the information they need to vote today,” said Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida. “While these websites are down, voters should call their county supervisor of elections office on the phone to get the information they need before they go vote.”
First-time voter makes his voice heard at UCF precinct| 11:05 a.m.
UCF student James Kapinos came from his dorm room this morning to vote for the first time.
“My first time voting today was definitely interesting,’’ Kapinos said. “I walked in there and didn’t know what to expect.”
“I’ve never seen a ballot before so I was like ‘oh what is this?’ It’s like a giant piece of paper,” Kapinos said.
Kapinos said his first time voting was easy and the lines at the UCF’s Live Oak Center, home to Precinct 538, were not long.
He is part of the Student Government Leadership Council at UCF, which motivated him to vote.
“I think that everyone should own their voice because you matter in this country, so I wanted to take part of that and just have my voice heard.”
Kapinos said that is a registered Republican and a Christian and both influenced how he voted.
“I have values that guide me into those principles, so I voted no against abortion and no against marijuana because of my personal beliefs,” Kapinos said.
Sarah Lynott – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School Student
Incident during early voting at UCF precinct on Saturday
An elections clerk at the University of Central Florida’s polling site was removed from her post after a video surfaced Saturday showing her swatting a person’s cell phone.
“Our office is aware of the situation at the University of Central Florida early voting location, we are in communication with UCF police and have removed the clerk. The protocol of our office was not followed and the conduct exhibited is absolutely not acceptable,” said Christopher Heath, Orange County’s chief elections administrator, in a statement.
UCF police have not responded to requests for additional details about the incident.
Dan Helm, a candidate for Orange County elections supervisor who was at the polling site, said the person filming told him she was recording a discussion about measurements for a 150-foot no-solicitation zone. When the clerk saw she was being filmed, she responded by striking the spectator’s hand and phone, he said.
Skyler Swisher of the Sentinel staff.
Trump voter sees trouble ahead if Harris wins | 10:30
William Ende walked outside of an Orange County precinct, took a seat on his golf cart and lit a cigarette, taking a break from the two-hour-long line Tuesday morning.
Ende, 65, said he would wait because it was important to have a voice in the direction of the country. A retired heavy-equipment operator from New Jersey, he said he was most worried about the country’s border policy and the economy.
Florida’s constitutional amendments were important, too. He said he will be voting “yes” on Amendment 4, the abortion rights measure, as he said he thinks it should be the “woman’s right to choose.” However, he said he would be voting “no” on Amendment 3.
“I don’t believe it’s a good thing to legalize marijuana,” Ende said. “All that smoking in public and in front of families and kids.”
As a registered Republican, Ende said he has never voted any other way, sticking only to candidates who shared his party affiliation. Ende said he will be voting for former President Donald Trump and that he is unhappy with the state of the country due to the administration of President Joe Biden.
“This country is going to hell in a handbasket.” Ende said. “Open border policies, inflation, gas prices, food prices. Democrats did it all, every bit of it.”
Ende said that he believes Trump will win the election, though he is preparing for a “civil war” if Vice President Kamala Harris does.
“I don’t believe Harris has the ability or the knowledge to run this country,” Ende said. “If she wins, there’s going to be an uprising like nobody in this country has ever seen.”
Kendal Asbury – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
First-time voter shows up for Amendment 3 at UCF precinct | 10:14 a.m.
Jacob Hewitt, 18, woke up Tuesday eager to vote for the president of the United States.
“I was really excited that I had the opportunity to vote for the first time,” Hewitt said.
Hewitt, a biomedical sciences major at the University of Central Florida, had been waiting for this Election Day since middle school.
“Honestly, ever since my seventh-grade civics class, I did the math on when it would be my first election,” Hewitt said.
He dressed for the occasion, showing up at the precinct on UCF’s campus wearing a blue shirt, khaki pants, and a black belt. “I knew it would be today so I made sure to dress up nice and head down.”
Hewitt said that he voted for Kamala Harris for president and yes on Amendment 3 to legalize marijuana.
“I actually wore a ‘Vote Yes on Amendment 3’ hat for the last four days,” Hewitt said.
Hewitt said that he was impressed by the voting process at Precinct 538.
“I was very happy with the people who were able to help, and any questions that I had, they were able to assist me with that,” Hewitt said. “The line itself wasn’t as long as I expected so the process moved along very quickly.”
Cassidy Mills – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School Student
First-time voters want their generation heard | 10:13 a.m.
College roommates Tatiana Ortiz, 19, Isabella Ortega, 20, and Ashlyn Watson, 19, walked to their car with smiles on their faces and “I Voted Today” stickers in hand after leaving an Orange County precinct Tuesday morning.
The trio of first-time voters changed their voter registrations from Broward County to Orange so they could vote in person. They were worried if they voted by mail there was a chance their ballots would not be counted.
“There’s going to be issues,” Ortega said. “They’ve been setting fire to them, they’re been losing them through the mail trucks. So I’d rather be for sure counted in a place.”
As first-time voters, the three said they felt it was important to have their voices heard.
“We wanted to vote and make our voice heard on certain issues, both locally and nationally, with all the amendments that are on the ballot and being potentially passed,” Ortiz said. “And so we just really wanted to make sure that our generation was being heard.”
The roommates all voted for Kamala Harris and were in agreement that her viewpoints on social and economic issues were “very reflective of human decency.”
Ortega said she also appreciated how Harris’ campaign reached out to younger voters.
“I also kind of felt seen by her campaign, and she’s really trying to push towards the younger generation, which I don’t see from a lot of the other candidates, at least,” she said. “So I really saw that they’re actually trying to get our vote and not actually ignore us.”
The young women all rated their first voting experience a “10 out of 10,” because of how easy it was.
“It was really close by, super easy, super simple,” said Watson, a University of Central Florida student. “And if we have the opportunity and the ability to vote, why not?”
Sofia Sutter – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Harris voters show their support at Precinct 535 | 10:02 a.m.
Cars flooded into the parking lot of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in east Orange on Tuesday morning, filled with voters ready to cast ballots.
Ashley Latson, a nurse, said she came to Precinct 535 to vote for Kamala Harris.
“Her views are better than Trump’s. I’m not saying she’s the right perfect candidate, but I feel like she’s better than Trump,” Latson said.
Latson also voted for Amendment 4, she said, which would limit government interference with abortion.
“I feel like every woman has a choice what to do with their body. That’s just period,” Latson said.
Another voter, Lajuanna King, shared a similar view on Amendment 4, which would protect abortion rights in Florida in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
“Your choice may not be mine, and my choice may not be hers. Everybody has their right to do what they want to do,” King said.
King also voted for Harris.
“I voted for Kamala because I feel that she will be protecting democracy, because Donald Trump …” said King, her voice trailing off and gesturing a thumbs down in protest.
Maci Castillo – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Trump, Harris voters show up, split on partisan lines | 9:47 a.m.
Orange County voters Hayley Smoluk, 23, and Dylan Ingram, 22, came to the Orange County precinct at East Lake Elementary School around 8:15 this morning to vote together for for President Donald Trump.
“I just turned 23, and I’d really like to be able to buy a car soon,” Smoluk said.
For both voters, the economy and housing market were two of the biggest factors in their decision, as both are hoping to be able to purchase new cars and become homeowners, and they thought Trump would do more on both fronts.
“Securing the border is another big one,” Ingram said. “It’s important for our safety.”
Smoluk also favored the former president due to his “no tax on tips” promise.
“I’m a server, and I’d like to make more money,” Smoluk said. “I had a table practically interrogating me about it the other day, but at the end of the day, I’m the one serving their food.”
Chris Reed, 56, arrived about 15 minutes later at the east Orange precinct to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. His key issue is the protection of democracy.
“I have legitimate concerns about what Donald Trump’s plan is, and I think Kamala Harris actually cares about the people she’s representing,” Reed said.
Reed also came to vote “yes” on Amendments 3 and 4, two Florida ballot initiatives that would legalize marijuana and protect abortion rights.
“It seems like our current government is working against the will of the people by spending our government tax dollars to fight two amendments the government really shouldn’t have a voice in,” Reed said.
All three said voting went smoothly at Precinct 541.
Gabriella Jaye Herrera – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Voters wait in long lines for chance to be heard | 9:34
Robin Hammerbacker of Orlando stepped outside of Orange County precinct at Fairways Country Club to take a call from her daughter. The line to cast a ballot was about an hour long, she said.
Hammerbacker, 68, said she is a registered Democrat but will be voting for former President Donald Trump, citing the economy and illegal immigration.
“I have never voted just based on party affiliation,” Hammerbacker said. “I choose who I think is best for the job,” she added. “I just hope everyone does their research and votes for who they think is the best fit for the country … And how they vote is their business, not mine.”
Hammerbacker said she and her husband showed up to the polls around 9 a.m. and expected to wait about 90 minutes. She said that her daughter, who had voted earlier that morning at a different precinct in Orange County, also had to wait more than an hour to cast a ballot.
David Dargel, who lives nearby, showed up to the same precinct when it opened at 7 a.m. But the line was long, so he decided he would come back later.
He is 80 and said his age and health problems make it hard for him to wait in a long line, but he is still determined to vote.
He did not get that right until he was 21, as constitutional Amendment 26, which lowered the voting age to 18, had not yet been passed.
“It’s my privilege,” Dargel said. “And I’m going to take advantage of it.”
Kendal Asbury – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Two Orlando men vote with grandchildren in mind | 9:15 a.m.
Richard Covell of Orlando walked out of an Orange County precinct wearing a white and gold “Make America Great Again” hat to meet two of his friends waiting for him outside.
The three stood together outside of the Fairways Country Club’s main office talking about how they got there at 6:30 that morning and sharing a laugh with their friend, who said she read the ballot 40 times before Election Day so she would be able to get “in and out” of the voter booth.
Covell, 73, said former President Donald Trump had his vote. He said he also wore his MAGA hat to the polls because his granddaughter, who does not like Trump, gifted it to him, a symbol of the way love overcomes differences.
A retired Orange County Public Schools teacher and a UCF alumnus who graduated in 1973, Covell said the country needs a way to bridge differences as he and his granddaughter did and not be so fiercely polarized.
“The tension has ramped way up,” Covell said. “Further than it should be.”
Covell’s friend Tim Barber, 73, also shared his frustration about the divide in the country and his worries that those in office often do not make much progress because they consistently work against each other.
“It’s so negative; it’s not one party or the other–it’s both,” Barber said. “They’re just running each other down about what they did wrong.”
Barber did not want to share who he voted for but said he based his decision on the issues that were most important to him — as he has done election since he turned 18.
Before walking off together both men said they voted in part for their grandchildren and a hope that American politics will one day be less divisive.
Kendal Asbury – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Orlando woman acts on ‘privilege to have a say’ | 7:05 a.m.
Rebecca Rodriguez of Orlando smoothed out an Orange County “I Voted” sticker on her blouse after walking out of a precinct at Fairways Country Club in east Orlando early Tuesday morning.
Rodriguez, 26, showed up at the main office of the country club around 6 a.m., an hour before polls opened, to make sure she had the opportunity to cast a ballot.
“Not everybody has the privilege to be able to have a say in what happens in their country,” Rodriguez said. “The laws that happen affect everybody whether you feel it or not.”
Rodriguez, who lives near the University of Central Florida, voted on her way to her job as a quality and systems test engineer at Lockheed Martin. There were other voters there early too, but once the polls opened at 7 a.m., she said she only had to wait about five minutes.
Concerns about women’s rights and the economy influenced her votes in the presidential election, she said.
“I look at both candidates equally,” Rodriguez said, but then decided to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris convinced she will do more for the middle class than former President Donald Trump.
“Her policies directly affect the middle class and most Americans in a beneficial way,” Rodriguez said. “I think Trump’s policies only benefit the rich, and I’m not rich.”
Kendal Asbury – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
Abortions down 18.7% as Floridians vote on abortion rights amendment
As Floridians decide Tuesday whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution, the number of abortions reported during the first 10 months of 2024 was down 18.7 percent from the same period in 2023, according to new state data.
The state Agency for Health Care Administration data showed that 52,753 abortions had been reported this year as of Thursday, compared to 64,918 last year. The decrease comes after a law took effect May 1 largely preventing most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The report and data compiled in November 2023 by The News Service of Florida show that abortions are down this year in counties across the state. Also, the number of out-of-state residents having abortions in Florida dropped from 5,898 during the first 10 months of 2023 to 3,500 this year.
Florida voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve Amendment 4, which says, in part, that no “law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
Polls show the measure is popular with a majority of voters but may not reach the 60% threshold needed to pass. Florida is one of 10 states with abortion rights measures on the ballot this year.
News Service of Florida
Advocates push for rural boundary amendment for Orange County | 9:05 a.m.
Like voters across Central Florida, those at Precinct 536 in east Orange County likely know a lot about Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
What they may know less about are the 10 county-specific charter amendments, including County Charter Amendment 9 — the rural boundary ballot measure — that are also on the ballot.
Community advocate Pamela Sible knows all about them, though. And she spent her Tuesday morning standing on the side of McCulloch Road outside University Unitarian Universalist Fellowship waving signs and thanking voters as they left the precinct.
A retiree from a nonprofit organization, Sible now works with Save Orange County Inc., an organization that seeks to affect change through amendments, county ordinances and state statutes for the conservation of rural and agricultural land.
“This election is so important for the dynamics of Orange County,” said Sible, 68. “I live in a rural settlement. We’re fighting all the time.”
Save Orange County supports all 10 of the county charter amendments appearing on Orange County voters’ ballots this Election Day. A “yes” vote on the rural boundary amendment, the most contentious local ballot question, would make it harder to develop beyond the county’s established rural boundary.
Lucy Dillon – Special to the Orlando Sentinel – UCF Nicholson School student
This post was originally published on here
