Diversity is the key in Florida as US presidential election reaches climax

Over six million people in Florida cast early votes. Credit: ITV News

  • ITV News correspondent Emma Murphy reports

The sunshine state has been coming out to vote like never before.

Over six million people in Florida are casting early votes. And here all eyes are on the demographics.

If you like number crunching this is the place to watch.

There are 12,655,286 registered voters - and every single one of those votes is critical.

The Democrats have a slight edge in terms of the numbers registered to them - 4,800,905 compared to 4,500,960 republicans. And that leaves just over three million in that critical "other" category.

Bear in mind two out of three voters are white, there are 1,723,402 African American voters and 2,023,850 Hispanic voters and you can see why diversity is key in the critical swing state.

Diversity is key in the critical swing state of Florida. Credit: ITV News

The panic for the Democrats is the African American vote.

Last week it was down 10% in early turn out causing angst and frustration in the Clinton camp.

However in the last few days there has been a surge, taking the figures above those seen for Barack Obama - although bear in mind early voting has been over a much longer time period this time.

Florida's black churches were asked to help galvanise voters. Credit: ITV News

Aware a few hundred votes here can shift the whole election, the politicians turned to prayer - most notably Florida's black churches - where the pastors spread the world and the parishioners were bused to the ballot box.

This is 'Souls to the Polls' and it's amazing to see.

Congregations encouraged to believe their vote really does matter.

Over six million people in Florida are casting early votes. Credit: ITV News

The Democrats are out on the streets in force again today.

The campaign has really galvanised the Hispanic community - almost a million voting in early polling.

With a high Cuban population they used to be a reliable source of support for the Republicans but that's not so definite now.

One in three of those voting didn't vote last time.

Could that suggest Donald Trump's disparaging comments about Mexican rapists and drug smugglers and threats or promises to build a wall have brought them out for the Democrats?

If so he lost them on day one and to all intents and purposes lost the election then too.

We should know around 3am British time on Wednesday.