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How to Vote in Florida: Everything you need to get ready

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Florida has elections almost every year, from school board and city council to Governor and Congress, and the rules here are specific. Vote-by-mail requests expire. Primaries are closed. You need a photo ID with a signature at the polls.

This page covers how voting works in Florida so you can check your registration, make a plan and help your people do the same. For the dates of the next election, your county Supervisor of Elections always has the official calendar.

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Florida’s voting rules keep changing, and Florida women are paying attention. Red Wine & Blue is organizing to make sure every eligible Floridian can register, vote and have that vote counted.

See how Red Wine & Blue is fighting back.

You don’t have to do it alone. The Red Wine & Blue Network connects women in local groups across all 50 states, including Florida, who get together to talk, learn and take action in their own communities. Find a group near you, or start one with your friends.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Am I registered to vote in Florida?

Check before every election, especially if you’ve moved, changed your name or haven’t voted in a while. Use the state’s Voter Information Lookup to see your registration status, party affiliation and polling place. If something looks wrong, contact your county Supervisor of Elections right away.

How do I register to vote in Florida?

You can register if you’re a U.S. citizen, a Florida resident and at least 18. You can pre-register at 16. Ways to register:

  • Online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov
  • In person at your county Supervisor of Elections office, a tax collector’s office that issues driver licenses, or other designated voter registration offices
  • By mail using the Florida Voter Registration Application, which you can print from the state’s website

The deadline is 29 days before each election. Use the same options to update your name, address or party.

Starting in 2027 Florida is adding documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements for new registrations and updates. If you already have a Florida Real ID driver license or ID card, the state may already have what it needs. Check with your Supervisor of Elections if you’re unsure.

Do I need to be registered with a party to vote in the primary?

Florida has closed primaries. You can only vote in a party’s primary races if you’re registered with that party. If you want to switch parties for a primary, the change has to be in 29 days before the primary.

Every registered voter, including No Party Affiliation (NPA) voters, can still vote in the primary on:

  • Nonpartisan races like school board and judges
  • Local ballot questions on the primary ballot
  • “Universal” primary contests, which happen when every candidate is from the same party and no one else has qualified for the general election

Don’t skip the primary, especially for school board. Florida school board races are nonpartisan, so every registered voter can vote in them, whatever their party. If a candidate wins more than half the vote in the primary, they win the seat automatically, and the race never reaches the November ballot. That means a few thousand primary voters can decide what books stay on library shelves, what our kids learn and how our schools spend their money. Make sure you’re one of them.

How do I vote by mail in Florida?

Any Florida voter can vote by mail. You don’t need an excuse. Request your ballot from your county Supervisor of Elections online, by phone, by mail or in person. Have your Florida driver license number, Florida ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number ready.

Your request expires on December 31 of every general election year. Florida holds general elections in even-numbered years, and when that year ends, so does your vote-by-mail request. You must request again to keep getting ballots. If you voted by mail before, don’t assume a ballot is coming. Check your status and renew your request before every election.

  • Request deadline: 5 p.m. on the 12th day before the election. Missed it? You can pick up a ballot in person at your Supervisor of Elections office, with ID, until early voting starts. After early voting has started, you can only pick one up if you sign an affidavit saying an emergency keeps you from voting in person, so early voting or Election Day is usually the easier option.
  • Return deadline: Your ballot must be received by your Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks don’t count.
  • Return it: by mail, at your Supervisor of Elections office, or in a secure drop box. Drop boxes at early voting sites are only open during early voting hours. On Election Day, use the boxes at your Supervisor’s offices. Locations and hours vary by county.

Sign the envelope with your current signature. If the Supervisor of Elections contacts you about a missing or mismatched signature, you can fix it with a cure affidavit by 5 p.m. on the second day after the election.

What’s the difference between mail-in voting and absentee voting in Florida?

In Florida, they’re the same thing. The state calls it vote-by-mail. Military and overseas voters have additional options under federal law.

How do I make sure my mail ballot counts in Florida?

Florida checks the signature on every vote-by-mail envelope against your voter record, so sign with the signature you use now. If yours has changed, update it with your Supervisor of Elections before you vote. You can track your ballot for free through your county’s ballot status tool. Find yours on the state’s Vote-by-Mail Ballot Status Lookup page.

Mail it early. Ballots that arrive after 7 p.m. on Election Day aren’t counted.

When can I vote early in Florida?

Every county must offer early voting for any election with a state or federal office on the ballot, but the start date differs county by county. Early voting runs at least from the 10th day through the 3rd day before Election Day, and many counties add more days. You can vote at any early voting site in your county. Sites, days and hours vary, so check your Supervisor of Elections’ website.

Where is my polling place?

Use the voter tool at the top of this page to find your polling place. On Election Day, you have to vote at your assigned precinct, and it can change between elections, so check before every election. You can also look it up with the state’s Voter Information Lookup. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. If you’re in line by 7 p.m., stay in line. You have the right to vote.

Can I vote if I have a past felony conviction?

Many Floridians with past felony convictions can vote again once they’ve completed every part of their sentence, including probation, parole, fines, fees and restitution. People convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense need clemency first.

The rules are complicated, so confirm before you register. You can ask the Florida Division of Elections for an advisory opinion on your eligibility, and the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition offers free help.

Who should I vote for?

Who you vote for is up to you, and your ballot is private. But you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Check out our Voting Guide to find Common Sense Candidates in races across the country and get the information you need before you vote.

Will anyone know who I voted for?

No. Your ballot is private. The Florida Constitution guarantees it: “All elections by the people shall be by direct and secret vote.” No one, not your spouse, your family, your boss or your neighbors, can find out how you voted unless you choose to tell them.

  • At the polls: No one is allowed in the voting booth with you. If you need help because of a disability or because you have trouble reading, you can choose who helps you, as long as it’s not your employer or someone representing your employer or union.
  • By mail: Your signed envelope is separated from your ballot before it’s counted, so your choices can’t be traced back to you.

Your voter registration and whether you voted are public records in Florida. Who you voted for is not. What happens in the booth is yours alone.