Election administration in Florida

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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies and methods of enforcing them. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.

THE BASICS

Florida permits online voter registration.

Florida permits early voting and no-excuse voting by mail.

In Florida, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Florida requires photo identification with a signature to vote.

Florida holds closed primary elections.

Florida has tools for verifying voter registration and checking the status of mail-in and provisional ballots.

Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Florida:

• Poll times
• Voter registration
• Early and vote-by-mail voting policy
• Voter identification requirements
• Provisional ballot rules
• Primary election type
• Time off work for voting
• Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

• Voter list maintenance
• Post-election auditing
• Election policy ballot measures
• Election policy legislation
• Ballot access
• Redistricting
• Election administration agencies

Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Florida, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote. Florida is split between Eastern and Central time zones.

Voter registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Florida, one must be at least 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and a legal resident of Florida and the county in which he or she intends to vote. Pre-registration is available beginning at 16 years of age.

Voters may retrieve registration applications at the following locations:

• Local elections offices
• Public assistance agencies
• Disability services agencies
• Independent living centers
• Military recruitment offices
• Public libraries

A registration form is also available online. The form can be printed and submitted via mail.

Automatic registration

Florida does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Florida has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Florida does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Florida, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Florida does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Verifying your registration

The page Voter Information Lookup, run by the Florida Department of State, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Early and vote-by-mail voting policy

Early voting

See also: Early voting

Florida permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Voting by mail

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

All voters are eligible to vote by mail in Florida. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting by mail.

To vote by mail, an application must be received by election officials at least ten days prior to the election. A returned ballot must then be received by election officials by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Returning mail-in ballots

See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state

Mail-in ballots in Florida can be returned by mail or in person. Voters can designate someone to pick up or return their ballot on their behalf. To be counted, a ballot must be received by election officials in the county in which the voter is registered by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

On May 6, 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed SB90 into law, establishing that "any person who distributes, orders, requests, collects, delivers, or otherwise physically possesses more than two vote-by-mail ballots per election in addition to his or her own ballot or a ballot belonging to an immediate family member, except as provided in ss. 101.6105-101.694, including supervised voting at assisted living facilities and nursing home facilities as authorized under s. 101.655, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree."

Signature requirements and cure provisions

Mail-in ballots in Florida include a certificate that must be signed by the voter. Florida law includes a cure provision allowing voters to correct an issue with the signature on their ballot.

Voters are notified if their mail-in ballot is missing a signature or the signature is found not to match the signature on record. According to the Florida Department of State:

“

If a voter is notified that he or she did not sign a vote-by-mail ballot certificate or that the signature on the certificate does not match the signature on record, the voter may complete and return a "Vote-by-Mail Ballot Cure" Affidavit with a copy of identification. The deadline to submit the form and the ID is no later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd day after an election. Failure to follow the instructions may cause the ballot not to be counted.

”

Was your mail-in ballot counted?

Voters can use the Voter Information Lookup website provided by the Florida Department of State to check the status of their mail-in ballot.

Voter identification requirements

See also: Voter ID in Florida

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Florida requires voters to present photo identification with a signature while voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Florida Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

• Florida driver’s license
• Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• United States passport
• Debit or credit card
• Military identification
• Student identification
• 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

A voter who presents an ID without a signature must show a second form of identification that includes the voter’s signature.

Background

In 1977, the Florida Legislature required every voter to present an ID in order to vote. In 1998, the legislature required voters to present a photo ID.

As of August 2023, 34 states required voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 23 required voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 11 accepted other forms of identification. The remaining 16 states did not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.

Provisional balloting for voters without ID

Voters who do not have ID while voting may cast provisional ballots. See below for provisional ballot rules.

Provisional ballot rules

Voters in Florida are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.

1) If the voter does not have the proper identification, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

2) If the voter has "moved in from another county," he or she "will be allowed to vote a regular ballot if the new precinct has an electronic poll book instead of paper" or the voter is "an active military member." If neither of these is the case, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

• The voter is required to complete a change of address form. If the voter refuses or if the voter wants to vote in the precinct that does not correspond with the voter’s address, the voter can cast a provisional ballot, but it may not count.

3) If the voter’s eligibility to vote is challenged by an election official, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

After voting by provisional ballot, the voter is given a "Notice of Rights which will include instructions on how to find out if your provisional ballot was counted, and if not, the reason(s) why, will be contained in your notice of rights handed to you at the time that you vote a provisional ballot. Information as to whether your provisional ballot was counted or not must be made available no later than 30 days following the election. (Sections 101.048(5)-(6), F.S.)."

A provisional ballot is rejected in the following circumstances:

• If the voter is not registered; or
• If the voter is not entitled to vote at the precinct where he or she cast a vote.

Local election officials

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Primary election type

See also: Primary elections in Florida

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Florida utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Time off work for voting

Ballotpedia did not find a law specifying whether voters must be given time off from work to vote in this state. Nolo.com notes that states without such state laws may have administrative regulations or local ordinances pertaining to time off for voting and suggests calling your local board of elections or state labor department for more information.

If you know of a relevant policy in this state, please email us. As of 2020, 28 states had laws requiring employers to provide time off for voting under certain conditions.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for convicted felons

In Florida, people convicted of most felony offenses have their voting rights automatically restored upon completion of their entire sentence, including prison, probation, and parole. Murder and felony sexual offenses are examples of felonies that permanently disqualify people from voting.

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.

Voter list maintenance

All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.

When names can be removed from the voter list

Florida law authorizes county election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:

• Dies,
• Has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated,
• Is convicted of a felony,
• Is found to have registered to vote in another state,
• Requests in writing to be removed, or
• Remains on the inactive voter list through two general elections.

Inactive voter list rules

Florida law requires county election officials to conduct a voter registration maintenance program annually to identify voters whose address may have changed. Officials may use National Change of Address data and non-forwardable mailings. If officials find that a voter has moved out of state, they are to send them an address confirmation notice. If the notice is not returned or is returned as undeliverable, the voter is placed on an inactive voter list. Inactive voters are eligible to vote under Florida law and may be restored to active status by updating their registration information or by voting. If the voter remains on the inactive list through two general elections, their registration is to be canceled.

The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

See also: Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records, to provide member states with detailed reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Each state pays annual dues, which are determined by a formula approved by the ERIC membership. The formula includes a state's citizen voting age population as a factor."

By 2022, 33 states and the District of Columbia had joined ERIC. As of August 2023, 26 states and the District of Columbia were members in the ERIC program.

As of August 2023, Florida was not participating in the ERIC program.

Secretary of State Cord Byrd (R) withdrew Florida from ERIC on March 6, 2023, saying, "Florida has tried to back reforms to increase protections, but these protections were refused. Therefore, we have lost confidence in ERIC." According to ERIC, the effective date for this withdrawal was June 3, 2023.

Post-election auditing

Florida state law requires post-election audits. The audit is conducted by the county canvassing board or local board responsible for certifying the election. Auditors can conduct "a manual audit of votes for one randomly selected race in 2% of precincts containing that race" or a "public automated tally of the votes cast across every race that appears on the ballot in at least 20% of randomly-chosen precincts." When the audit is complete, a report is sent to the Florida Department of State that includes any discrepancies, the likely cause, and recommendations to correct the problem in future elections. The audit begins immediately following certification of the election, and results "must be made public no later than 7 days after certification and reported to Dept. of State within 15 days after certification."

Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.

Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.

As of December 2023, 41 states and the District of Columbia required some form of post-election audit. Of these, 36 states and the District of Columbia required traditional post-election audits, three states required risk-limiting post-election audits, and two states required procedural post-election audits.

Noteworthy events

Voter registration ID requirements, dropbox rules, and other election changes (2021-2023)

On March 31, 2022, Judge Mark E. Walker, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, struck down three state election laws: one regulating the availability and supervision of ballot drop boxes, one imposing delivery requirements on third-party voter registration groups, and one barring certain activities at or near polling places and drop boxes. Walker also ordered that Florida submit any future changes to these policies for federal preclearance for a period of 10 years.

However, on May 6, 2022, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit granted the state's motion for a stay of the district court's ruling, allowing the disputed legal provisions to take effect and reversing the lower court's preclearance order.

Below is a summary of key developments in this case, starting with background about the law itself, then moving on to the district court's ruling (and reactions to it), and concluding with a discussion of the appellate court's order.

Background

On May 6, 2021, Gov Ron DeSantis (R) signed SB90, making a series of changes to Florida's election laws, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Vote-by-mail:
  • Requiring that voters requesting mail-in ballots (in person, in writing, or by telephone) provide either their Florida identification card numbers or the last four digits of their Social Security numbers.
  • Reducing the duration of a mail-in ballot request form from two election cycles to one.
• Drop boxes: Requiring that a secure drop box at a location other than the office of the county supervisor be open only during early voting hours, under the in-person monitoring of an employee of the supervisor's office.
• Registration delivery: Requiring third-party voter registration organizations (3PVROs) to deliver applications to the Division of Elections or the Supervisor of Elections in the counties in which the applicants reside within 14 days of completing the applications (previously, 3PVROs could return completed applications to any Supervisor of Elections).
• Solicitation: Barring anyone from "engaging in any activity with the intent to influence or effect of influencing a voter," either inside a polling place or within 150 feet of a drop box or the entrance of a polling place (this prohibition can be construed to apply to "line warming" activities, such as giving out water, snacks, umbrellas, etc.).

The Florida House of Representatives and the Florida State Senate approved the final version of SB90 by votes of 77-40 and 23-17, respectively, on April 29, 2021. In the House, the vote split along party lines: all Republicans present voted in favor, and all Democrats present voted against. In the Senate, the vote also split largely along partisan lines, with one Republican (Sen. Jeff Brandes) joining the chamber's 16 Democrats in opposing the bill. SB90 took immediate effect.

Several groups, including the League of Women Voters of Florida and the Florida State Conference of Branches and Youth Units of the NAACP, filed four separate lawsuits, alleging that the aforementioned provisions were intentionally racially discriminatory, in violation of the First, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments and the Voting Rights Act. The suits were consolidated at trial.

The district court's ruling

Walker, a Barack Obama (D) appointee, noted that claims of racial discrimination must be judged against the test the U.S. Supreme Court established in Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Development Corp. The test incorporates the following factors:

• The historical context.
• "[T]he specific sequence of events leading up to" the challenged law's passage, including "procedural and substantive departure" and "contemporary statements and actions of key legislators."
• The impact of the challenged law, including the"foreseeability of the disparate impact, knowledge of that impact, and the availability of less discriminatory alternatives."

Walker concluded that Florida's historical racial, political, and electoral contexts, as well as the specific sequence of events leading up to SB90's passage, supported the plaintiff's claims.

Walker then addressed the impact of SB90, dealing with each of the challenged provisions in turn:

• Vote-by-mail: Walker found that the racial impact of both the request and identification provisions was "unclear."
• Drop boxes: Walker found that SB90's drop-box provision "increases the time, transportation, and information costs of voting by drop box." Walker concluded that these costs would "fall more heavily on Black voters."
• Registration delivery: Walker held that, because 3PVROs "overwhelmingly serve minority communities," the registration delivery provision "disproportionately harms Black and Latino voters."
• Solicitation: Walker concluded that SB90's solicitation provision "will have a disparate impact on minority voters because minority voters are disproportionately likely to wait in line to vote, and because the provision discourages third parties from helping those waiting to vote."

Walker turned next to the question of whether these impacts were foreseeable and within the actual knowledge of legislators. Walker concluded, "The evidence before this Court not only suggests that the Legislature had such knowledge, but also that it specifically sought it out." With respect to the availability of less discriminatory alternatives, Walker found that "less discriminatory alternatives to each challenged provision not only were available but were presented to and rejected by the Legislature."

Having considered impacts, Walker framed the question of intent as follows:

“

The main question … is whether the Legislature enacted SB90 purely to secure an electoral advantage for the Republican party without regard to whether it harmed minority voters, or whether SB90 was enacted, at least in part, to target minority voters in order to secure an electoral advantage for the Republican Party.

”

Walker concluded that the plaintiffs failed to show that the Legislature acted with discriminatory intent in adopting the vote-by-mail request and identification provisions. However, Walker found that the remaining challenged provisions "specifically target Black voters," in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Walker permanently enjoined (i.e., barred) enforcement of these provisions.

Finally, Walker turned to the question of relief under Section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act. Under Section 3(c), a court, upon finding that a political subdivision (e.g., a state or a municipality) has committed intentional racial discrimination in voting, can mandate that the subdivision preclear changes to voting regulations with either the court or the U.S. Attorney General "for such a period as [the court] may deem appropriate."

Walker concluded that relief under Section 3(c) was warranted in this case. Accordingly, Walker barred Florida officials from enacting any law or regulation governing 3PVROs, drop boxes, and line-warming activities without first clearing such changes with the court or the U.S. Attorney General for a period of 10 years.

Reactions

Cecile Scoon, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida said, “Senate Bill 90 was clearly an anti-voter measure that raised barriers to voting for marginalized groups with specific impacts on elderly voters, voters with disabilities, students and communities of color. The League is gratified that once again the constitutional rights of all of Florida’s voters have superseded partisan politics and that the targeted attack on Black voters will be stopped.”

In an interview, DeSantis described Walker's ruling as "the judicial equivalent of pounding the table" and suggested that an appeal was in the works: "I think that that's going to be reversed on appeal. The only question is how quickly it gets reversed on appeal, but it's not going to be able to withstand appellate scrutiny."

In a statement, Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls (R) called Walker's ruling "an egregious abuse of his power," adding: "The illogical leaps and unsupported inferences in Judge Walker's opinion amount to a 288-page accusation of discriminatory intent based on limited analysis of data he thinks the Legislature might have had, the uncritical and complete acceptance of the comments of Democratic lawmakers, and a total disregard for other viewpoints."

Legal commentators discussed Walker's ruling within the context of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2013 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder, in which the Court held that preclearance mechanism contained in Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act was unconstitutional. Joe Patrice, writing for Above the Law, said, "While [Shelby] didn’t necessarily bar the door on a court reinstating preclearance requirements, no one thought to test the scope of the Court’s animosity toward this provision until now." Rick Hasen, writing for Election Law Blog, said, "This is a huge deal, and the district court's analysis is probably right, but there is good reason to believe that this case could be reversed on appeal by the much more conservative 11th Circuit or the Supreme Court."

The circuit court's ruling

On May 6, 2022, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit granted the state's motion for a stay of the district court's ruling, allowing the disputed legal provisions to take effect and reversing the lower court's preclearance order. The panel comprised judges Kevin Newsom, Barbara Lagoa, and Andrew Brasher. In its unsigned order, the court cited the Purcell principle, which holds that "federal district courts ordinarily should not enjoin state election laws in the period close to an election."

“

According for Purcell, we hold that the state is entitled to a stay of the district court's order enjoining the operation of SB90's Drop-Box, Registration-Delivery, and Solicitation Provisions and subjecting Florida to preclearance. The district court's determination regarding the legislature's intentional discrimination suffers from at least two flaws, either of which justifies a stay. And, although we think it presents a closer question, we hold that the district court's determination that the Solicitation Provision is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad is sufficiently vulnerable.

”

The circuit court's May 6 order did not represent a decision on the merits. Instead, the order stayed the district court's order pending resolution of the appeal to the circuit court.

Election security force created and other election laws changed (2022)

On April 25, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed SB524 into law. SB524 made a number of changes to Florida's election laws, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Established the Office of Election Crimes and Security, as a division of the Department of State, "to aid the Secretary of State in completion of his or her existing duties related to investigation of election law violations or election irregularities."
• Required election supervisors to conduct registration list maintenance programs at least once per year (state law previously required such maintenance once in each odd-numbered year).
• Barred the use of private donations for any election-related expenses, including the costs of litigation.
• Barred the use of ranked-choice voting in any election.
• Increased the annual cap on fines assessed against third-party voter registration organizations that fail to deliver completed applications in a timely manner from $1,000 to $50,000.
• Established a penalty against third-party voter registration organizations of $1,000 per application found to be altered by a person working on the organization's behalf.

On March 4, 2022, the Florida Senate approved the bill 24-14, with 23 Republicans and one Democrat voting in favor and 13 Democrats and one Republican in opposition. The Florida House of Representatives followed suit on March 9, approving the bill 76-41, with 76 Republicans voting in favor and 41 Democrats in opposition.

Vaccination requirements for voting (2021)

In a letter dated August 3, 2021, Broward County Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott informed all poll workers that they would have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to work in the special election for Florida's 20th Congressional District. In a telephone interview with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Scott said, "Our poll workers have to engage in close quarters, personal contact with potentially hundreds of voters. So it’s not just for the safety of the public, but for the safety of the individuals who are poll workers as well. We want to keep everybody safe." In a memo dated August 2, 2021, Scott also outlined a policy requiring all full-time regular employees to provide evidence of vaccination or submit to a weekly COVID-19 PCR test. In response to Scott's directive, Tom Powers, chairman of the Broward County Republican Party, said "I would want to see that everybody has a chance to apply for a [poll worker] job and get a job," adding that vaccination "is an individual decision and government shouldn't be forcing their opinions on every citizen."

Voting rights rules changed for people convicted of a felony (2020)

On May 24, 2020, Judge Robert Hinkle, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, ruled that a state law requiring felons to pay all outstanding fines in order to be able to register to vote was unconstitutional. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) indicated the state would appeal the decision.

Sitting en banc, the Eleventh Circuit took up the case and stayed the district court's order, allowing the state to enforce the requirement pending its decision. The stay was appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. On July 16, 2020, the Supreme Court declined to vacate the Eleventh Circuit's stay, allowing for the continued enforcement of the law in question. Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Elena Kagan dissented.

On September 11, 2020, the Eleventh Circuit upheld the challenged law by a vote of 6-4. The full text of the court's majority and dissenting opinions can be accessed here.

Election policy ballot measures

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Florida ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Florida.

1. Florida Economic Impact Statements, Amendment 2 (2002)
2. Florida Initiative Requirements, Amendment 2 (2004)
3. Florida Campaign Finance Requirement Repeal, Amendment 1 (2010)
4. Florida Government Sunshine Laws, Amendment 1 (1976)
5. Florida Amendment 3, 60% Vote Requirement to Approve Constitutional Amendments Measure (2006)
6. Florida Ballot Access, Public Campaign Financing and Election Process Revisions, Amendment 11 (1998)
7. Florida Election of County Commissioners, Amendment 5 (1984)
8. Florida General Election Delay, Amendment 1 (1992)
9. Florida Supreme and Appellate Court Judge Elections, Amendment 2 (1976)
10. Florida Escambia County Court of Records Judicial Election, Amendment 11 (1948)
11. Florida Escambia County Court of Records and County Solicitor Elections, Amendment 6 (1946)
12. Florida Circuit Court Judicial Elections, Amendment 4 (1942)
13. Florida Local Bonds, Amendment 1 (1930)
14. Florida School Districts and Trustees, Amendment 3 (1928)
15. Florida County Commissioner Elections, Amendment 3 (1900)
16. Florida November General Elections, Amendment 5 (October 1896)
17. Florida Biennial Elections for House of Representatives, Amendment 1 (October 1890)
18. Florida October General Elections, Amendment 3 (October 1890)
19. Florida Local Option for Selection of Judges and Funding of State Courts, Amendment 7 (1998)
20. Florida Selection and Retention of Circuit and County Judges, Amendment 6 (1978)
21. Florida Governor and Cabinet Election Years, Amendment 1 (1963)
22. Florida Amendment 1, Partisan School Board Elections Amendment (2024)
23. Florida Amendment 3, Top-Two Open Primaries for State Offices Initiative (2020)

Recent legislation related to election administration in Florida

The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Florida. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.

Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:

• Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
• We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
• And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan

The Ballot Bulletin

The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Click here to view recent issues and subscribe.

Ballot access

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Florida

A cardboard ballot box at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

In order to get on the ballot in Florida, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Florida. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, see "Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Florida." Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Redistricting

See also: Redistricting in Florida

"Gerrymandering"

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Florida's 27 United States Representatives and 160 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.

Florida was apportioned 28 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, one more than it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Florida after the 2020 census.

HIGHLIGHTS

Following the 2020 United States Census, Florida was apportioned 28 congressional districts, one more than the number it had after the 2010 census.

Florida's House of Representatives is made up of 120 districts; Florida's State Senate is made up of 40 districts.

In Florida, both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature.

State process

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

In Florida, both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature. Congressional lines are adopted as regular legislation and are subject to gubernatorial veto. State legislative lines are passed via joint resolution and are not subject to gubernatorial veto. State legislative district maps are automatically submitted to the Florida Supreme Court for approval. In the event that the court rejects the lines, the legislature is given a second chance to draft a plan. If the legislature cannot approve a state legislative redistricting plan, the state attorney general must ask the state supreme court to draft a plan. There are no similar procedures in place for congressional districts.

The Florida Constitution requires that all districts, whether congressional or state legislative, be contiguous. Also, "where doing so does not conflict with minority rights, [districts] must be compact and utilize existing political and geographical boundaries where feasible." Districts cannot be drawn in such a way as to "favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent."

Election administration agencies

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Florida can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Florida County Supervisors of Elections

Click here for a list

Florida Division of Elections

Room 316, R. A. Gray Building

500 South Bronough Street

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250

Telephone: 850-245-6200

Email: DivElections@dos.state.fl.us

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Telephone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

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Recall

Democratic primaries 2024

• United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
• Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
• Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
• Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
• State legislative Democratic primaries, 2024

Republican primaries 2024

• United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2024
• Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
• Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
• Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
• State legislative Republican primaries, 2024

See also

• 2024 election dates and deadlines
• Voting in Florida
• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Florida
• Redistricting in Florida

Elections in Florida

• Florida elections, 2023
• Florida elections, 2022
• Florida elections, 2021
• Florida elections, 2020
• Florida elections, 2019
• Florida elections, 2018
• Florida elections, 2017
• Florida elections, 2016
• Florida elections, 2015
• Florida elections, 2014

External links

• Florida Secretary of State - Elections