The Brief<\/p>\n
Florida voters will head to the polls this year to vote to decide several key races, including governor.<\/p>\n
Before the general election, Florida will hold a primary election on Aug. 18.<\/p>\n
The deadline to register to vote for the primary election is July 20. This is also the deadline for registered voters to update their party affiliation.<\/p>\n
ORLANDO, Fla. – Voters will be heading to the polls this year for several key races taking place in Florida.<\/p>\n
There will be several important government seats voters will decide, including governor, congressional seats, Florida attorney general and county offices.<\/p>\n
The general election will take place on Nov. 3, but before that, Florida will hold a primary election.<\/p>\n
There are several important dates residents should know so they can make sure they are ready to vote.<\/p>\n
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP<\/a><\/p>\n What is the Florida primary?<\/p>\n Primary elections are held to determine which candidate will be on the general election ballot in November for partisan races.<\/p>\n Florida is a closed primary state, so only voters registered with a political party can vote in that party’s primary elections.<\/p>\n When is the 2026 Florida primary election?<\/p>\n The Florida primary will be held on Aug. 18.<\/p>\n All counties will offer an early voting period. Times and locations vary by county, so voters should check with their local supervisor of elections office for that information.<\/p>\n A mandatory early voting period for the primary runs from August 8\u201315.<\/p>\n When is the deadline to register to vote?<\/p>\n The deadline to register to vote for the primary election is July 20.<\/p>\n Voters who already registered to vote will have until that date to change their party affiliation to participate in the primary election.<\/p>\n SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35’S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS<\/a><\/p>\n When is the deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot?<\/p>\n Florida voters can vote by mail. They will need to request a ballot by contacting their county supervisor of elections office, filing out a form online or in person.<\/p>\n The deadline to request a ballot be mailed is no later than 5 p.m. on August 6, according to the Florida Division of Elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n The vote-by-mail ballot must be returned to the supervisor of elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, otherwise it doesn’t count.<\/p>\n How to check your voter registration<\/p>\n