JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It's primary day and polls across the area are open and ballots are being cast for races at every level of government, but the lines at Duval County polls aren't expected to be very long.
Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland tells Action News he's only expecting about 23 percent of voters to cast their ballots in this election.
But those that are heading to the polls should be aware of a few changes.
First, the elections office recently closed 52 precincts due to budget cuts, which has caused some confusion among voters. Holland suggests checking with the elections website before going to vote, even if you've voted at a specific location multiple times in the past.
In addition, new equipment is being used for the first time at every polling location in Duval County. The city spent $1.4 million to purchase new voting machines to replace outdated and less reliable models from 2002.
"It's a digital scan it takes a picture of the ballot as well as recording the vote," said Holland, "so it's higher security but it does take a little bit longer to read the ballot."
He hopes the new system will improve accuracy, security and reduce work time overall, even if it takes some time to learn and use.
"We'll see how the days goes and how quickly it reports at the end of the night."
While lines aren't expected to be long, you can save time by double-checking your precinct, as well as filling out a sample ballot before going to the polls.
Duval County voting locations are open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.
