Do you know how many statewide elections Florida will have in 2020?

Florida will hold three statewide elections in 2020.

1. The Presidential Preference Primary (PPP)
2. the Primary (PRI) election for all statewide offices that are on the ballot and for some local elections, and
3. the General (GEN) election again for all state-wide elections on the ballot.

There are several “How to’s” and “Need to's” required to vote. This article will highlight some of these and provide the dates. It also provides links to sites for more information.

Who’s Responsible?

The official responsible for conducting elections is the County Supervisor of Elections (SOE). The Florida department responsible for executing election laws is the Florida Department of State (DoS) – Division of Elections. DoS maintains the list of county SOEs. 

Visit this website for SOE info.  

Voter Responsibilities

1.  Get to know the candidates and understand the issues
2. Make certain your current residence address is registered with your SOE
3. Know the location of Early Voting and Election Day Polling places (they may not be the same). Know the hours of operation. On Election Day, you can only vote at your precinct's polling station.
4. Bring proper identification to the polling station. Must have a picture and a signature.
5. Know how to use voting equipment.
6. Treat precinct workers with courtesy
7. Respect the privacy of other voters
8. Report problems or law violations to the SOE
9. Ask questions. You can get assistance, but only you can vote.
10. Make sure your ballot is correct. Voting equipment will be different among counties. Make sure your ballot is accepted.

Get Official Information

This is The DoS Division of Elections site. It tracks candidates for all statewide and multi-county office elections.

Visit this link for the list of offices in 2020. Only the odd-numbered Florida Senate Districts will be on the ballot this year. The “Candidates and Committees” tab is the place to see who is running in your districts. This will be updated until the “Book Closing” date listed in the table.

Closed Primary

Florida is a closed primary state. This means that only voters registered as affiliated with the specific party may vote in a partisan primary for all offices that have multiple candidates from that party.

You can not vote for the other party’s candidates in a Primary election. You can still vote on issues and non-partisan offices that may be on a Primary ballot.

Registration Requirements

1. Must be a U.S. citizen
2. Must be 18 years old (may pre-register at 16)
3. Must be a Florida resident
4. Must have your civil rights restored if you have been convicted of a felony or have been declared mentally incompetent.

Early Voting

Florida requires that early voting be allowed for eight days starting 10 days before election day at designated early voting polling places. 

The Supervisors of Elections have the option to conduct early voting up to an additional five days before the mandated eight-day period and on the day following the end of the mandated period.  Check with your Counties Supervisor of Elections for the schedule.  It will probably be posted on the website.

Recent Florida Law Changes

Voting by Mail 

You can request to receive a vote by mail ballot for all elections.  The request can carry over into future years. Check with your SOE.

1. Requests must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the tenth day prior to an election. (See the dates table for specific dates for each election.)
2. Designee may pick up a ballot for you with the required affidavit DS-DE 37. Click here and scroll down to find the form.
3. Your signature on file with the SOE must match your signature on your vote-by-mail ballot. If you think there may be an issue, fill out a new voter registration form to update your signature.  (Get the form from the SOE website.) Your signature must be on file before your mail in ballot is received.
4. Check the SOE web site for confirmation your ballot was accepted.  It must be delivered to the SOE by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Vote-by-mail ballots will not be accepted at polling stations on Election Day. They must be delivered to the SOE office.

Primary Date Changed

• The Florida Primary will occur on 8/18/2020
• Registration/change party affiliation deadline is 7/20/2020

A person may only be registered to vote in the county where the person has his or her "legal residence." The term "legal residence" means the place where the person both truly intends to reside and has made overt acts that demonstrate that intention. Summary: