DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – An early-voting site in the midtown area of Daytona Beach has been shut down, and community leaders are not happy with that decision.
Josephine Pope volunteers at polling locations every election season.
She answers voter questions and passes out candidate literature.
“I love it because this (is) a way I can educate people,” Pope said.
Last election, she manned a tent outside the Julia T. and Charles W. Cherry Cultural and Educational Center in midtown, where residents came to vote early.
Come August, though, people won’t be able to cast their votes here.
“The Supervisor of Elections did not come together and let certain people know that this was being shut down,” Pope said.
News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts asked Volusia County Supervisor of Elections Lisa Lewis why the early-voting site was shut down.
She emailed this statement:
“Yes, the decision was made to close this early voting site as the numbers were not there. While I want everyone to vote, I also must be a fiduciary with the citizens money.
In 2020, just over 6,000 voters voted at Midtown in 14 days; the first time it was opened. In August of 2022, 568 voted, in 8 days of early voting. In November of 2022, 2,027 voted in the 13 days early voting was conducted.
I am happy to talk and discuss with those who are upset; and I wish they had come to me. My door is always open. I have spoken with the president of the NAACP and she understands; however, we will be discussing the possibility of opening the site.
In no way would I ever disenfranchise someone from voting! There has always been an early voting site in Daytona at the City Island Library, 2 miles away.”
Volusia County Supervisor of Elections Lisa Lewis
Todd Brasells, another poll site volunteer, attributes low voter numbers at the Midtown site to a lack of advertisement.
“They don’t know they can vote here, city island has been open for many, many years. People know that they vote there, so they go there,” Brasells said.
When driving down George W. Engram Blvd near Nova Road, drivers usually see a big sign promoting events. The poll-site volunteers said if the sign is used to direct more people to the early-voting site just yards down the road, there would be more early-voter turnout.
Brasells said a lot of African American voters come to the Midtown site.
He believes if this location is not open for the upcoming election there may be less African American voter turnout overall.
“I think that’s almost assured if they close this,” Brasells said.
Pope highlighted other issues with shutting down the Midtown site.
“You have to drive to City Island but [around] in this community a lot of people don’t have cars so at least they can walk here,” Pope said.
After News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts alerted Lewis of voter concerns, she said she’ll discuss the possibility of re-opening the site with community leaders.
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