Florida's primary election is only a week away, on Aug. 18.
Voterswill be making decisions on several state and local candidates with the Florida’s governor’s race topping the 2026 ballot. Gov. Ron DeSantis cannot run again due to term limits.
There are three ways to vote in Florida.
For those who requested a mail-in ballot before the Aug. 6 deadline, there are a few important things to keep in mind to make sure your vote is counted.
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Here's what you should know.
When is the 2026 Florida primary election and key deadlines?
Here are important deadlines you should know:
- Early voting period (mandatory period): Aug. 8-15, 2026
- Counties can expand the early-voting period. See dates by county
- Election day: Aug. 18, 2026
There are 3 ways to vote in Florida
There are three ways you can vote in Florida:
- Vote by mail
- Early voting
- Election day
Voting by mail? Here's the deadline to return your ballot
If you requested a vote-by-mail ballot from the elections office in your county before the Aug. 6 deadline, you have until Aug. 18 to return your ballot.
"Untimely
received ballots are otherwise not counted," the Florida Division of Elections said.
Important! Ballots must be receivedby your local elections office no later than 7 p.m. on election day — Aug. 18.
Mailing your ballot? Here's how to make sure your vote counts
"A returned voted ballot must be received, regardless of postmark, by the Supervisor of Elections' office no later than 7 p.m. local time on Election Day," the Florida Elections Office said.
The United States Postal Service recommends nonmilitary voters mail their ballots at least one week before election day to meet the deadline and to account for any unforeseen events or weather issues.
➤ Postmarks reflect date you mailed something, right? Wrong. What to know
That means you need to drop your ballot in the mail today or, at the latest, by Aug. 12 to make sure your ballot gets to your local election office by Aug. 18.
How else can you return vote-by-mail ballot?
A vote-by-mail ballot can be returned by mail or delivered in person.
If delivering it in person, put your ballot into a secure drop box at your local Supervisors of Elections' main or branch office until 7 p.m. (local time) on election day Aug.18.
Vote-by-mail ballots may also be deposited at secure drop boxes at designated early voting sites in your county.
Visit your county Supervisors of Elections' website for the locations, days, and hours of all secure drop boxes in the county. Contact information can be found here.
A vote-by-mail ballot cannot be returned online, by fax, by email or by fax with one exception. Overseas voters — civilian and military — have the option to return their ballot by mail or by fax. Visit the webpage Military and Overseas Voting for more information.
Can I track my mail-in ballot in Florida?
Yes. To track online your vote-by-mail ballot, visit the Florida Elections Office website for county-specific links at Vote-by-Mail Ballot Information and Status Lookup.
Early voting taking place in Florida this week
Early votingis held statewide at specific polling locations from Aug. 8 to Aug. 15, although counties have the option to extend those days.
➤ Early voting in Florida? See dates by county
When is Florida's primary election day?
Primary election day in Florida Aug. 18.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Anyvoters waiting in line at 7 p.m. will be able to vote.
You must vote at your assigned polling location on election day.
Will I need to show ID to vote in Florida's primary election?
Yes. You must be registered to vote and you will be asked to provide a current valid photo with signature.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
- Florida driver's license
- Florida ID card
- U.S. passport
- Military or student ID
- Retirement center identification
- Neighborhood association identification
- Public assistance identification
- Veteran health identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
- License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to s. 790.06
- Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality.
"If your photo ID does not include your signature, you will be asked to provide another ID that has your signature," according to the Florida Division of Elections.
When is the 2026 Florida general election, and what are the key deadlines?
The Florida general election day will be Nov. 3, 2026, two days after we turn clocks back an hour for the end of daylight saving time on Nov. 1.
Here are key deadlines to be aware of:
- Deadline to send vote-by-mail ballots to UOCAVA voters: Sept. 19, 2026
- Deadline to send vote-by-mail ballots to domestic voters: Sept. 24 - Oct. 1, 2026
- Deadline to register to vote: Oct. 5, 2026
- Deadline to request that ballot be mailed: Oct. 22, 2026
- Early voting period (mandatory period): Oct. 24-31, 2026
- Counties can expand the early-voting period
- Election Day: Nov. 3, 2026
What Florida state, federal offices will be on the 2026 Florida ballot?
According to the Florida Division of Elections, these are the state and federal offices up for election or retention in 2026:
See the lists of candidates who have registered to run in each of the races at the Florida Division of Elections website.
- Federal offices
- U.S. Senate (one of two seats)
- See the candidates
- U.S. House (all districts)
- See the candidates
- U.S. Senate (one of two seats)
- Florida state offices
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- Attorney General
- Chief Financial Officer
- Commissioner of Agriculture
- State senator (even-numbered districts)
- State representative (all districts)
- State attorney (20th Judicial Circuit)
- Public defender (20th Judicial Circuit)
- Judicial retention (nonpartisan)
- Justices, Supreme Court of Florida (those whose terms expire January 2027)
- Judges, District Courts of Appeal (those whose terms expire January 2027)
- Circuit judges (nonpartisan)
- Those whose terms expire January 2027
- County court judges (nonpartisan)
- Those whose terms expire January 2027
Are you an active registered voter in Florida? Here's how to check
To check you're an active registered voter in Florida, go to the Florida Department of State's Voter Information Lookup website.
You'll need to enter:
- Your first and last name
- Birth date
If you're listed as an active voter, you are eligible to vote.
What's the deadline in Florida to ask for a vote-by-mail ballot for the general election?
The deadline to request a mailed ballot is 5 p.m. on the 12th day before the election.
In 2026, the deadlines to ask for a vote-by-mail ballot for the general election is Oct. 22.
The general election will be held Nov. 3.
Florida voter guides for your convenience
Voter guides for the 2026 Florida primary:
➤ The race for Florida governor
➤ The race for U.S. Senate
➤ Congressional District 2 voter guide to 2026 Florida Democratic primary
➤ U.S. House CD 2 voter guide to 2026 Republican Primary
➤ U.S. House CD 2 voter guide to 2026 Republican Primary
➤ Florida House District 9 voter guide to 2026 Republican primary election
➤ 2026 Florida primary voter guide to chief financial officer candidates
➤ Voter guide to Florida agriculture commissioner candidates, issues
➤ Second Circuit Judge Group 13: Voter guide to the 2026 election
➤ Second Circuit Judge Group 7: Voter guide to the 2026 election
Is Ron DeSantis running for governor again?
No. Gov. Ron DeSantis cannot run again for governor because he has already served two consecutive terms. No one can run for three terms in a row, according to Article IV of the Florida Constitution.
DeSantis leaves the Florida governor's mansion on Jan. 5, 2027.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://palmbeachpost.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Mailing in your Florida ballot? How to make sure your vote is counted
