Florida Primary Election Voters' Guide 2022: Where and when to vote on Election Day in Central Florida

LAKE MARY, Fla. - Florida Primary Election Day is here! On Tuesday, Aug. 23, Florida voters will head to the polls to cast their ballot for a number of federal, state, county, and municipal races. While most races will determine which candidates will face each other in the general election – Nov. 8, by the way – some seats will be decided and finalized in the primary.

Our Election Guide is here to answer common questions before you head to the polls, including when do the polls open and close on Aug. 23, can you still register to vote, where can you find your nearest polling location, and where can you report voting concerns?

WHEN IS ELECTION DAY IN FLORIDA?

The Florida Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. The General Election will then be held in the fall on Nov. 8, 2022.

WHEN DO THE POLLS OPEN?

For those who want to vote in person during the Florida primary election, polling locations will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. To vote, you must show an ID, such as a driver's license, passport, military ID, student ID, or retirement center ID. Scroll below to find your nearest voting location.

WHO CAN VOTE IN FLORIDA?

To vote in the Florida primary election, you have to be a Florida resident, a U.S. citizen, and at least 18 years old. You also have to be registered to vote in the state (the deadline to register to vote in the 2022 primary was July 25).

Those found to be mentally incapacitated and/or those who are convicted felons and have not had their voting rights restored are not eligible to register to vote in Florida, and unable to vote in the primary or general election.

CAN I STILL REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE PRIMARY?

The deadline to vote in the Florida primary was July 25. So, if you did not register by then, you will not be allowed to vote on August 23.

However, you can still register to vote in the Nov. 8 election. You have to register at least 29 days before the election, which means the deadline for Florida's general election is on or before Oct. 11, 2022.

How do I know if I am registered to vote? The fastest way to register to vote in Florida – or to check your status if you already registered – is on the state Supervisor of Elections website.

IS FLORIDA A CLOSED PRIMARY STATE? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Florida is a closed primary state, which means only voters who are registered members of political parties may vote for their respective party candidates. The ballot you receive in the primary will be determined by your political affiliation.

If you are not affiliated with a political party, then you will receive a non-party affiliation (NPA) ballot.

Many races are non-partisan, so everyone can vote regardless of their political affiliation or non-affiliation. In some cases, there are races known as universal primaries. These universal primaries are contests in a primary election in which all candidates have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general election. All qualified voters may vote in a universal primary.

HOW AND WHERE CAN I VOTE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA?

There are three ways that Floridians can vote in the upcoming election:

Early, in-person voting
Vote-by-mail voting (formerly called absentee)
Voting in person on Election Day

WHERE IS MY POLLING LOCATION?

To find the closest polling location to you, click on your county below:

Mail-in voting (formerly known as absentee ballot)

A vote-by-mail ballot refers to a ballot that you request and pick up or have delivered to you without having to vote at the polls during early voting or on Election Day.

The 2021 Florida Legislature made changes to mail-in ballots, so the process is slightly different than previous elections. Before, requests for a mail-in ballot would be valid for four years. Now, voters have to request a mail-in ballot each election year, which then covers voting for that calendar year.

For example, those who requested a mail-in ballot for the primary will also be able to vote-by-mail in the November election. To vote in the 2023 and 2024 elections, however, voters will have to request a mail-in ballot each of those years.

How to request a mail-in ballot in Florida

To request a ballot, voters will need to have a driver's license number, a state-issued ID, or a social security number. Before, a birthday and signature were needed.

There are four ways to request a vote-by-mail ballot:

Submit an online application on your county's Supervisors of Elections website
Submit a written form (e.g., mail, fax, or scanned attachment to an email) to your county's Supervisor of Elections
Request one in person at your county's Supervisors of Elections office
Request one by phone by calling your county Supervisors of Elections office

When is the last day to vote by mail in Florida?

Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed to you: Saturday, Aug, 13 at 5 p.m. for the Primary Election, and Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. for the General Election (Florida law says mail-in ballots must be requested by 5 p.m. the 10th day before the election.)
Last day to cast a mail-in ballot: Vote-by-mail ballots must be completed and received by election officials no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Can I still drop off my mail-in ballot at a drop box?

Yes, but there are fewer drop box locations. These locations may only be at the Supervisor of Election's office or outside early voting sites. They are also open only during early voting hours. Those hours will vary depending on the count but most are open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Can someone else drop off my vote-by-mail ballot?

While one person can drop off another person's ballot in Florida, some changes have been made since the last election. The number of signed and sealed ballots that one person may possess is limited to two (in addition to their own), but there are exceptions for immediate family members.

Can you still go to the polls on election day if you have a vote-by-mail ballot?

If the voter decides to go to the polls to vote, the voter should bring the vote-by-mail ballot (marked or not). The vote-by-mail ballot will be canceled, and the voter can vote a regular ballot at the polls.

If the voter comes to the polls without the vote-by-mail ballot, the voter can vote on a regular ballot if the Supervisor of Elections Office can confirm that it has not received the voter's vote-by-mail ballot. If it is confirmed that the office has already received the completed vote-by-mail ballot, or it cannot be determined, the voter cannot vote a regular ballot at the polls.

How do I check if my mail-in ballot was counted?

Any voter who has requested a vote-by-mail ballot can track the status of their ballot online via the Division of Elections' Voter Information Lookup or through their counties' Supervisor of Elections' website. The United States Postal Service also provides a free service – Informed Delivery-- that allows you to digitally preview the address side of certain mail pieces such as a requested vote-by-mail ballot that will arrive soon at your address.

For other questions about mail-in voting, visit the Florida Division of Elections website.

Early in-person voting

Early voting starts at least 8 days before the election and ends three days before the election in the state of Florida. Supervisors of Elections are allowed to extend early voting before an election.

The mandatory early voting periods for 2022 are:

Primary Election: August 13 - 20
General Election: October 29 - November 5

Each county Supervisor of Elections may also offer more days of early voting from one or more of the following days:

Primary Election: August 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 21
General Election: October 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and November 6

Voters should check with their county's Supervisor of Elections for details about in-person early voting. You can also see our county-by-county list of early voting locations here. To vote, you must bring along a form of identification, such as a driver's license, passport, military ID, student ID, or retirement center ID.

How do I vote in-person on Election Day? Where can I find my polling location?

On Election Day, which is Tuesday, Aug. 23, the polls will be open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

To vote, you must bring along a form of identification, such as a driver's license, passport, military ID, student ID, or retirement center ID.

Find the nearest polling locations to you by clicking your county below:

HOW DO I REPORT A VOTING OR POLLING PROBLEM?

Voters who observe issues at the polls or are concerned about election fraud should call the Voter Fraud Hotline at 1-877-868-3737. It operates Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. You can also file a complaint with the Florida Divisions of Election website.

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