The polls in Santa Rosa County have closed and voters have turned out in droves.
Despite issues early on tonight, results are coming in and with 41 of 41 precints reporting over 77,100 have voted.
In the big races:
President
Mitt Romney 58,036
Barack Obama 17,698
Senate
Connie Mack 50,634
Bill Nelson 21,824
Representative
Jeff Miller 57,089
Jim Bryan 14,912
Calen Fretts 2,506
Sheriff
Wendell Hall 49,474
Chris Roper 22,201
School Board District 4
Charles Wayne Elliott 28,911
Jenny Granse 34,184
32 percent voted by absentee ballot and during the eight day early voting period in Santa Rosa County and Supervisor of Elections Ann Bodenstein is expecting 80 to 90 percent turnout.
Bodenstein reported a small problem in Gulf Breeze when a DS2000 went down. The problem was quickly fixed but some voters had a hour plus wait as a technician was dispatched to fix the problem
As of Sunday, over 37,000 of the nearly 113,600 register voters had let their choices be known.
Besides the Presidential election local races contested include the District 4 spot on the Santa Rosa County School Board and the constitutional office of Sheriff of Santa Rosa County.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff Wendell Hall facing opposition from Chris Roper to see who will serve the next term as sheriff in Santa Rosa County, while Charles Elliott and Jenny Granse are running to see who will replace retiring Santa Rosa County School Board Member JoAnn Simpson.
After the polls close at 7 p.m. the Santa Rosa Press Gazette will be bringing you updated returns in the races for President, sheriff, and school board and a complete listing of results after all the votes come into the Santa Rosa Supervisor of Elections Office.
If Bodenstein’s prediction is correct it would surpass the record of 81.6 percent of the county voting back in 1968.
Ironically the last presidential election drew 71.4 percent of the voters in Santa Rosa County to cast a ballot.
Some are suggesting the lines are being caused by the nine constitutional amendments as well as judge retention votes.
The Amendments on the ballot this year focuses on – health care services, veterans disabled due to combat injury getting a homestead property tax discount, a state government revenue limitation, property tax limitations when property values decline, state courts, prohibition on public funding of abortions, religious freedom, homestead property tax exemption for surviving spouse of military veteran or first responder, tangible personal property tax exemption, an additional homestead exemption for low income seniors, and the appointment of student body president to board of governors of the state university system.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Over 77,000 votes in SRC