ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Statewide Primary is Tuesday, Aug. 20. But early voting is underway in counties across Central Florida, and while the election is called a primary, all voters, regardless of party affiliation, will find they have a ballot waiting for them.
The early voting period in Florida officially begins Saturday, Aug. 10 and runs through Aug. 17. However, several Central Florida counties are able to start early voting early, and stay open later. So here is the early voting information for each of our counties by date.
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Monday, Aug. 5
Orange County: Early voting sites are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, from Aug. 5 to Aug. 18. Find a polling place.
Osceola County: Early voting sites are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, from Aug. 5 to Aug. 18. Find a polling place.
Thursday, Aug. 8
Lake County: Early voting sites are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Find a polling place.
Saturday, Aug. 10
Brevard County: Early voting sites are open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Find a polling place.
Flagler County: Early voting sites are open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find a polling place.
Marion County: Early voting sites are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Find a polling place.
Polk County: Early voting sites are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Find a polling place.
Seminole County: Early voting sites are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Find a polling place.
Sumter County: Early voting sites are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Find a polling place.
Volusia County: Early voting sites are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Find a polling place.
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What is the difference between voting early and voting on Election Day?
When you vote early, aside from having more days to vote, you also have more locations to vote in person.
Early voting locations include libraries, community centers, recreation centers and the county supervisor of elections office. As long as you live in that county, you can vote at any of those early voting polling sites. Staff there will be able to print out your specific ballot.
Early voting locations are also open on Saturdays and Sundays, so if you can’t vote during the week, you can vote then. Early voting and voting by mail are extremely popular in counties like Orange County because so many people do not work regular 8-5 jobs in the hospitality industry.
Vote-by-mail voters can drop their ballots off
Early voting locations will also once again have Secure Ballot Intake Stations. These are staffed drop boxes where people who vote by mail can turn in their ballot. It’s very convenient for people who are voting by mail but concerned about their ballot getting through the U.S. Postal Service by the Tuesday, Aug. 20 deadline.
What is on my ballot?
The races in the Aug. 20 election are a mix of party primaries and non-partisan races for federal, state and local governments. County supervisors of elections are sending out sample ballots to all voters so they know what they are voting for and can research candidates.
Partisan races include:
- U.S. Republican and Democratic primaries
- Florida Senate Republican and Democratic primaries
- Florida House Republican and Democratic primaries
- County constitutional office primaries (think sheriff, supervisor of elections, property appraiser, clerk of courts and tax appraiser)
- Party primaries for County Commission offices (Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter)
- Orange and Osceola counties have a Republican primary for state attorney
The winners of these races will face opponents in November.
Non-partisan races include:
- Universal primaries for Florida Senate and House. These are races where candidates from only one political party decided to run. The race is now open to all voters, regardless of party. They include:
- Florida Senate District 15 (part of Orange County)
- Florida House District 41 (part of Orange County)
- Florida House District 44 (part of Orange County)
- Ninth-Judicial Circuit Public Defender (Orange and Osceola counties)
- County commission races in Flagler, Marion, Polk and Sumter counties
- Some constitutional officer races, like the Marion County sheriff or the Sumter County schools superintendent
- County commission races in Orange County
- Volusia County Council Chair
- School board races in all counties
- Circuit judge races
- County judge races
- City government races and ballot referendums:
- Titusville
- Palm Bay
- Palm Coast
- Reddick
- Kissimmee
- St. Cloud
- Casselberry
- Sanford
- Daytona Beach Shores
- DeLand
- Deltona
- Holly Hill
- New Smyrna Beach
- Ormond Beach
- Ponce Inlet
- Port Orange
So there is no reason to not go to the polls in August. Your vote could be crucial to several races, even if you are no party affiliate voter.
How do I find out what I can vote for?
On top of the sample ballots that should be in your mailboxes, you can look up your voter registration status and who is on your ballot at your county supervisor of elections websites. Find a link to your Central Florida county’s website below.
- ORANGE COUNTY: View your sample ballot
- SEMINOLE COUNTY: View your sample ballot
- OSCEOLA COUNTY: View your sample ballot
- VOLUSIA COUNTY: View Your sample ballot
- BREVARD COUNTY: View your sample ballot
- MARION COUNTY: View Your sample ballot
- LAKE COUNTY: View Your Sample Ballot
- SUMTER COUNTY: View your sample ballot
- FLAGLER COUNTY: View Your Sample Ballot
- POLK COUNTY: View your sample ballot
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