Florida holds primary amid pandemic

State election officials say sanitation and safety were top priorities Tuesday as Floridians headed to the polls amid the pandemic.

SANITATION AND SAFETY ARE TOPPRIORITIES TODAY AS FLORIDIANSRETURN TO THE POLLS AMID THEPANDEMIC.

THEYCLOSELY TO WITH THE POSTALSERVICE TO ENSURE ABSENTEEBALLOTS ARE DELIVERED ON TIMEDESPITE A SURGE IN DEMAND.

OURSTATE CAPITOL REPORTER FORRESTSAUNDERS HAS BEEN FOLLOWINGTHESE CONCERNS INTALLAHASSEE....FORRES T, WHATCAN YOU TELL US?ACCORDING TO STATE OFFICIALS,TODAY HAS BEEN GOING PRETTYSMOOTHLY.

NO HEALTH, SECURITY,OR OPERATIONAL ISSUES TOREPORT, AT LAST CHECK.WE HEARD FROM SECRETARY OFSTATE LAUREL LEE AROUNDMIDDAY.

SHE ASSURED US ALLPOLLING LOCATIONS WERE OPENAND PREPARED FOR VOTERSWAS IN USE.

SOCIAL DISTANCINGMEASURES.

FREQUENTDISINFECTING AS WELL.

BUT MANYARE ALSO AVOIDING THE VIRUSAND VOTING PRECINCTSALTOGETHER, CHOOSING TO VOTEABSENTEE THIS YEAR.

THE LATESTNUMBERS SHOW MORE THAN 2.2MILLION FLORIDIANS HAVE VOTEDBY MAIL.

THATINCREASE OVER 2016LEE SAYS SUPERVISORS HAVE BEENABLE TO PROCESS ALL OF THOSEBALLOTS WITHOUT ISSUE.

ANDTHAT THE US POSTAL SERVICE ISREASSURING OFFICIALS ELIGIBLEBALLOTS WILL BE DELIVERED ONTIME.(LAUREL LEE, SECRETARY OFSTATE)“WE WORK VERY CLOSELYWITH BOTH STATE AND REGIONALLEVEL EMPLOYEES OF THE POSTALSERVICE TO QUICKLY IDENTIFYAND RESPOND IF THERE AREISSUES IDENTIFIED WITH TIMELYMAIL DELIVERY.

THIS ELECTIONCYCLE, THE VAST MAJORITY OFSUPERVISORS HAVE REPORTED NOISSUES WITH THAT PROCESS”(10:29)(16 SECS) NOW, THEPRIMARY IS ESSENTIALLY A DRESSREHEARSAL FOR THE GENERALELECTION, WHEN TURNOUT ISEXPECTED TO BE AT LEAST THREETIMES HIGHER.

THE SECRETARYSAYING TODAY IT HAS BEEN AGOOD CHANCE TO PREP.

ELECTIONOFFICIALS HAVE BEEN ABLE TOASSESS AND TEST ALL OF THEIRSYSTEMS AND SECURITY BEFORETHE BIG NIGHT.TURNOUT FOR THE GENERAL ISEXPECTED TO BE NEAR 75% ORMORE.

FS, BACK TO YOU.STATE SENATE DISTRICT 29