Florida’s Election Day turnout test centers on a large GOP registration edge

The story in brief

More than 5.4 million Floridians had voted early or by mail, with registered Republicans holding a 40.2% to 37.8% lead over Democrats. The state’s GOP registration advantage now exceeds 1.5 million, while past elections have shown Republicans turning out strongly on Election Day. Voters also face a close governor’s race, a Senate contest, congressional races and constitutional questions. The early vote figures show why both parties are watching Election Day turnout closely.