There are few cars in parking lots at local polling places this morning and even fewer voters trickling in and out to cast their ballots.

According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office, 10 precincts are reporting approximately 18 percent of eligible voters in the sample precincts have cast their ballots as of 2:30 p.m. Voter turnout numbers are projections based on a random sampling, and are not scientific in nature.

“It’s been very quiet,” said a poll worker at First Baptist Church Temple Terrace who didn’t want to be named. “I think all of (the precincts) are going to be slow because a lot of people did early vote.”

According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections website, 1,436 people voted at the Temple Terrace Library during the early voting period, which began Jan. 16 and ran through Jan. 28. The library was one of 15 places across the county where voters could cast their ballots before Election Day regardless of their precinct.

A total of 22,515 people voted early in Hillsborough County.

According to Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Earl Lennard, early voting is gaining in popularity because it’s easy.

“Early voting is a good, convenient way to cast your ballot,” he said earlier this month.

At Temple Terrace Presbyterian Church, Charles Johnson zipped in and out of the polling place on his way to work. Johnson said he knew how he was voting when he got to the poll.

He said he voted for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and in favor of the City of Temple Terrace’s economic referendum.

Johnson was the only voter to cast a ballot at the church during a 15-minute period in the 8 o’clock hour.

Poll workers agreed that the morning had been slow.

“This is not going to be a busy day,” one said.