Alachua County has made voting more convenient by opening eight polling locations, including one at Santa Fe College’s Northwest Campus. Two new options are designed to reduce wait times and make voting easier for the community.
Hawthorne Community Center is also a new option, having not been used in 2020 or 2022.
Voters, especially first-timers, are appreciating the convenience. Gaby Marrugo, who previously found voting nerve-wracking, feels more confident with these added options. Amber Naber also noted that her voting experience was smoother this time around, expressing relief at the shorter wait time.
To help new voters navigate the process, Alachua County’s Supervisor of Elections office has been proactive, attending local events to assist with voter registration and information, particularly for those new to the area or the country. The county has also introduced a more efficient ballot system; ballots are now printed with the correct ballot style on Election Day rather than pre-packaged, which speeds up the process.
Early voting ends on Sunday. Voters can check votealachua.gov for more details and a complete list of polling locations.