When is the 2024 Florida Primary? When to vote and dates you need to know

Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated ·4 min read

We're in six months into an already eventful election year, with two more elections coming up for Floridians within the next four months.

Florida's Primary Election is set for August, with election officials adding its purpose is to select party nominees to be voted for in the general election to fill a national, state, county, or district office.

When is Florida's Primary Election? What is a primary election?

Florida's statewide primary is on Tuesday, Aug. 20.

Primary Elections are elections that determine the delegates from political parties who will face their opposing party’s delegates in November's General Election. A primary election is held 11 weeks before the general election.

Voters may also see nonpartisan contests on their ballot during a primary election, such as races for commissioners and school board candidates.

Who is on the ballot for the Florida Primary?

There are several federal and state elections on the ballot for the Florida Primary this August.

One of the major races on the ballot will be for the U.S. Senate seat, currently occupied by Republican incumbent Rick Scott. There are 10 Floridians up against Scott, according to the Florida DOE.

There are also elections for U.S. Representatives across all districts in Florida, with notable politicians such as Maxwell Frost and Matt Gatz campaigning for their seat. There will also be elections for state attorney and public defender in all judicial circuits except the 20th (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee).

To learn more about specific races and candidates for the Florida Primary 2024, contact your local Supervisor of Elections here.

See important deadlines for registering to vote, cast vote in the Florida Primary

  • July 11-18: Deadline for county clerks to mail out domestic ballots.

  • July 22: This is the last day to register to vote, or for voters to change their party before voting in the primary election. You must choose a party to be permitted to vote in that party's primary election.

  • Aug. 8: Final deadline for vote-by-mail requests. Also deadline for stateside and overseas military, and out-of-country civilians, to request a vote-by-mail ballot.

  • Aug. 10-17: Early voting opens statewide. Optional earlier dates may be offered on a county-by-county basis.

  • Aug. 20: Primary Election Day. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in whatever time zone you live in. Any voters still in line at 7 p.m. will be permitted to cast a ballot however long it takes.

How do I vote in a primary election? Where can I register to vote?

Long lines awaited residents as early in-person voting started Monday in Cape Coral. The Cape Coral library is one of several locations where registered voters can participate. It will be open from 10am-6pm.
Long lines awaited residents as early in-person voting started Monday in Cape Coral. The Cape Coral library is one of several locations where registered voters can participate. It will be open from 10am-6pm.

Florida’s Primary is a closed-primary election. You must be a registered voter in the party for which the primary is being held.

However, local nonpartisan elections might be held at the same time. In those elections, all eligible voters can vote for those local races. Check with your local elections office to see if your city is having any elections.

For those who want register to vote in Florida, you must:

  • Be a Citizen of the United States (a lawful permanent resident, commonly referred to as a "green card holder," does not have the right to register or vote in Florida);

  • Be a Florida resident;

  • Be at least 18 years old (you may pre-register to vote if you are 16 years old);

  • Not have been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored;

  • Not have been convicted of a felony without your voting rights having been restored.

Next, Florida election officials say you can apply to register to vote in any of the following ways:

  • Online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov

  • Apply through any of these agencies while accessing their services:

    • Florida driver's license offices. You also have the option to submit voter registration information online when you renew your driver's license online through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ online renewal system. For more information, visit GoRenew.com.

    • Tax collector's office that issues driver licenses or Florida identification cards

    • Voter registration agency. For more information about who these agencies are, visit our NVRA webpage.

  • By mail or in person.

If you need to update your information on your registration before any of the upcoming elections, head to RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov or reach out to your county Supervisor of Elections.

When is the General Election?

The General Election is on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida Primary Election 2024: When it is, important deadlines