MIAMI — More than 1,077 positions, ranging from national, state, county, or district office, are up for election during the primary on Aug. 18 in Florida.

There are dozens of candidates hoping to be elected to run in the general election on Nov. 3 to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis, who can’t seek re-election for a third term.

The deadlines to send vote-by-mail ballots are July 4 to Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act voters and July 9–16 to domestic voters. July 20 is the deadline to register to vote or change a party affiliation.

The deadline to request that a ballot be mailed is Aug. 6, and early voting is Aug. 8–5.

How to be prepared

SEARCH DATABASES: Check that you are registered to vote, confirm your assigned voting precinct, and research your ballot

Frequently asked questions

Who can vote?

To be eligible to vote, the applicant for registration has to be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident, at least 18 years old, and not be mentally incapacitated, or a convicted felon without a restoration of rights.

A military member, a military family member, or an overseas citizen can register and request an absentee ballot with the online Federal Post Card Application.

Are independents allowed to vote in the primary?

Florida is a closed primary election state, so only voters who are registered members of political parties may vote for respective party candidates.

Who can’t vote?

A felony conviction in Florida for murder or a sexual offense makes a person ineligible to vote unless the State Clemency Board restores the right to vote.

How do I know if I am registered to vote?

There is a database online to look up voter information.

Can this be done online?

The voter registration process can be done online. The application requires a Florida driver’s license or identification card, the date when it was issued, and the last four digits of the Social Security Number.

When can one pre-register to vote?

Florida allows 16-year-olds to pre-register, but they won’t be allowed to vote until they are 18 years old.

Are there any restrictions to vote in the primaries?

Florida is a closed primary election state, so only voters who are registered members of political parties may vote for their party’s candidates or nominees.

Independent voters may choose which party’s primary they want to vote in.

Who handles the process?

The Supervisor of Elections in the county of residence.

Can a register by mail and cast a ballot by mail?

Yes, if done on time and there is access to the forms online, a printer, and a post office. In Florida, all registered voters are allowed to register to vote or vote by mail.

To vote: U.S. military members, military family members, and overseas citizens can register and request absentee ballot with the Federal Post Card Application as soon as possible.

If done in Miami-Dade, visit this page. If done in Broward, visit this page. If done on Monroe, visit this page.

To register: Download the form to print, fill out, and mail.

Here are the mailing dates to remember if mailing the application to register to vote in Florida:

Applications for the March 19 presidential primary have to be postmarked by Feb. 20.Applications for the Aug. 20 state primary have to be postmarked by July 22.Applications for the Nov. 5 general election have to be postmarked by Oct. 7.

Here are the mailing addresses for Monroe, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties:

BROWARD

Broward County Elections Office

4650 NW 21st Avenue

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309.

MIAMI-DADE

Miami-Dade County Elections Office

Stephen P. Clark Center

111 NW First Street

Miami, Fla., 33128

MONROE

Monroe County Elections Office

530 Whitehead Street #101

Key West, Fla., 33040-6577

What is the deadline to drop off my vote-by-mail ballot?

Before 7 p.m., on Aug. 18. In Miami-Dade, sign inside the red box on the back of the vote-by-mail envelope. If you forgot to sign the envelope or the signature does not match, Florida law allows you to submit an affidavit to cure your vote-by-mail ballot. The affidavit must be completed and submitted to the Elections Department along with a copy of your identification by 5 p.m. on the second day after the election.

· Vote-by-Mail Ballot – Signature Cure Affidavit (English)

· Vote-by-Mail Ballot – Signature Cure Affidavit (Español & Kreyòl)

Useful linksUseful contactsFor more information from the Florida Division of Elections, call 1-866-308-6739 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.For more information in Broward, call 954-357-7050For more information in Miami-Dade, call 305-499-8683For more information in Monroe, call 305-292-3416

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