Monroe County election officials are working with emergency management and public works crews to make sure voters can access polling locations at Sugarloaf Baptist Church despite flooding concerns on Election Day.
Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about the election.
Officials have been monitoring conditions at the church, which serves two precincts. While the parking lot remains accessible, water levels around the church have created concerns, particularly for voters driving smaller vehicles, hybrids or electric cars.
Hodies said officials were concerned about vehicles having to travel through salt water, which could potentially cause damage.
Public Works crews were preparing to spread gravel in the affected areas to improve access. Officials also made boots available for voters who needed to walk through the water to reach the polling location.
Hodies praised the community effort to keep the polling place accessible, noting that some voters were even arriving in flip-flops to make their way through the water.
“This is what democracy is about. We find ways to go and vote, and it’s just awesome,” Hodies said.
She also credited Emergency Operations Director Cory Schwisow for working with the Supervisor of Elections Office to find solutions and make voting easier.
Despite the challenges, voter participation has been strong. Early voting totaled 11,216 ballots, compared with approximately 6,000 during the 2022 election, representing a 79.6 percent increase.
Election Day turnout was also climbing quickly during the interview. The number of Election Day voters had doubled from approximately 882 to more than 1,600, bringing overall voter turnout to nearly 41 percent.
Hodies said she was encouraged by the increased participation and grateful that so many residents were making an effort to have their voices heard.
“I’m so excited, so happy that all of you want your voices heard and your vote to count,” she said.
Hodies said her office would continue doing whatever it could to accommodate voters, particularly those concerned about getting smaller vehicles through the flooded areas.
She encouraged Monroe County residents to take advantage of their opportunity to vote, emphasizing that election officials are working to ensure flooding does not prevent people from casting their ballots.