With the field of Republican candidates down to four, GOP voters trickled to the polls on the first day of early voting in South Florida with plenty of opinions about their choice to challenge President Barack Obama in November.

Many said they were deciding between former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in what has been a rollercoaster race.

Romney is ahead in Florida, with more than 40 percent of GOP supporters, followed by Gingrich with 22 percent, Sen. Rick Santorum with 15 percent and Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 9 percent, according to an average of poll results compiled by RealClearPolitics.com.

At the busy West Dade Regional Library on Coral Way in Westchester, Julio Pallais, 71, said he cast his vote for Gingrich — but only after much consideration.

The retired private security guard from Nicaragua said he was leaning toward Romney earlier in the race but reversed course over Romney’s stance on illegal immigration.

“He has changed positions,” said Pallais, who came to South Florida 25 years ago. “There are illegal immigrants here who have been here for years, who have children and grandchildren here ... you shouldn’t tell them to leave.”

In Broward, Joy Diamond cast her ballot at Pompano Beach City Hall early Saturday morning.

She said Romney got her vote because she was concerned about Gingrich’s age, 68, and “not to mention his checkered background.”

Diamond said she likes Romney for his personality, background and policies.

“He’s been married for 43 years,” said the retired administrative assistant. “He has a family. He is very astute, educated.”

Though early voting is just getting underway, tens of thousands have already cast their ballots by absentee. In Florida, 473, 573 absentee ballots have been requested. As of Saturday, 185,435 absentee ballots had been cast and 11,836 early votes had been cast at precincts — for a total of 197,271, according to Brian Hughes, Republican Party of Florida spokesman.

Put into context, the total ballots cast in the botched Iowa caucus was just 122,000. This year’s New Hampshire’s record-setting GOP primary turnout was 247,000. In South Carolina, Republican party leaders expect 460,000 voters.

Romney is hoping 2012 will be better 2008 when Sen. John McCain beat him by five percentage points, 36-31 percent. Paul landed in fifth place with 3 percent. Gingrich and Santorum did not run.

In Florida, more than 4 million Republicans are registered to vote in this year’s primary. As many as one in three voters will cast ballots early. Early voting runs through Jan. 28, with the primary on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

Florida election officials say the average turnout in a primary is about 38 percent, but this year’s Republican contest is likely to draw more to the polls.

Miami Herald Reporter Marc Caputo and editor Sergio Bustos contributed to this report.

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