Election administration in Florida
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These includevoter identification requirements,early andabsentee/mail-in voting provisions,voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.
Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Florida:
Poll times
- See also:State poll opening and closing times
InFlorida, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. Florida is divided between the Eastern and Central time zones. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]
Voter registration
- Check your voter registration statushere.
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. A person must also not be deemed mentally incapacitated with respect to voting, nor have been convicted of a felony without having their voting rights restored. Pre-registration is available beginning at 16 years of age.[3][4]
Voters may retrieve registration applications at the following locations:[3][4]
- Local elections offices
- Public assistance agencies
- Disability services agencies
- Independent living centers
- Military recruitment offices
- Public libraries
- Driver's license office
- Tax collector's office
- The office of any entity authorized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to issue fishing, hunting, or trapping permits
A registration form is also availableonline. The form can be printed and submitted via mail.[4]
Click here to find your county Supervisor of Elections.
Automatic registration
- See also:Automatic voter registration
Florida does not practiceautomatic voter registration.[5]
Online registration
- See also:Online voter registration
Florida has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visitingthis website.
Voters may also apply for or modify their voter registration status while renewing their driver's license through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ online renewal systemhere.
Same-day registration
- See also:Same-day voter registration
Florida does not allowsame-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Florida, you must be a resident of the state.[4] State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
Florida does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "it is a 3rd degree felony under state and federal laws to falsely swear or affirm orotherwise submit false information."[6]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[7] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The pageVoter Information Lookup, run by the Florida Department of State, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy
Early voting
- See also:Early voting
Florida permits early voting. Learn more by visitingthis website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- 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.[8]
To vote by mail, anapplication must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the 12th day before the election. Election officials must mail the ballot out within two business days after a request, but no later than the 10th day before Election Day.[8]
A returned ballot must then be received by election officials by 7:00 p.m. local time on Election Day.[8]
All states allow for some form of absentee/mail-in voting. Seven states and the District of Columbia had automatic mail-in ballot systems that mandate that all eligible voters receive an absentee/mail ballot by default. An eighth state, Vermont, had such a system for general elections only.
Twenty-eight states allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee/mail-in ballot. The remaining 14 states required voters to provide an excuse to receive and cast an absentee/mail ballot. Acceptable excuses vary by state.
Returning mail-in ballots
Absentee/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. local time on Election Day.[8] Overseas voters have 10 extra days to return their ballot in presidential preference and general elections, but the ballot still must be postmarked by Election Day.[9]
Florida law states 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 felony of the third degree."[10]
Twenty states allow anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allow anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allow only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Eight states and D.C. do not specify who may return ballots.
Drop box availability
Florida law requires drop boxes.[11] Drop boxes, which Florida law calls secure ballot intake stations, must be placed at all county supervisor of elections offices, as well as early voting sites. They may also be placed at additional locations, provided they would otherwise qualify as an early voting site under state law. Secure ballot intake stations must meet certain requirements:
| “ | Secure ballot intake stations must be geographically located so as to provide all voters in the county with an equal opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as is practicable. Except for secure ballot intake stations at an office of the supervisor, a secure ballot intake station may only be used during the county’s early voting hours of operation and must be monitored in person by an employee of the supervisor’s office. A secure ballot intake station at an office of the supervisor must be continuously monitored in person by an employee of the supervisor’s office when the secure ballot intake station is accessible for deposit of ballots.[12] | ” |
Secure ballot intake stations must be established at least 30 days before an election and be emptied at the end of each day.[11]
Signature requirements and cure provisions
Absentee/mail-in ballots in Florida include a certificate that must be signed by the voter.Florida law includes acure provision allowing voters to correct an issue with the signature on their ballot.
Voters are notified if their absentee/mail-in ballot is missing a signature or the signature is found not to match the signature on record. According to the Florida Division of Elections:[8]
| “ | A Supervisor of Elections must notify you that your signature is missing from the ballot certificate or does not match the one on record. To correct this issue, the voter must complete a “Vote-by-Mail Ballot Cure” Affidavit (Form DS-DE 139EnglishSpanish and include a copy of identification. The form and copy of the ID can be returned by mail, email, fax, or in person. The deadline to submit the form and the ID is no later than 5 p.m. (local time) on the 2nd day after an election. Failure to follow the instructions may cause the ballot not to be counted.[12] | ” |
Thirty-three states have laws that includecure provisions, while 17 states do not. One state, Pennsylvania, allows counties to establish a cure process.
Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?
Voters can check the status of their absentee/mail-in ballot through their county supervisor of electionswebsite.
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.[13][14]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of November 2025.Click here for the Florida Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
| “ | Whether voting during early voting or on Election Day, you must bring a current and valid photo ID with signature. Any one of the following photo IDs will be accepted:
| ” |
A voter who presents an ID without a signature must show a second form of identification that includes the voter’s signature.[13]
To view Florida law pertaining to voter identificationclick here.
Click here to learn more about the background of Florida's law.
Thirty-six states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 14 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.
Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, seedetails by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID 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 forprovisional 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:[15]
1) If the voter does not have the proper identification, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
2) If the voter’s eligibility to vote is challenged by an election official, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
3) If the voter's eligibility cannot be determined, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
After voting by provisional ballot, the voter is given a written notice of rights, which includes instructions on how to find out if a provisional ballot was counted, and if not, why. Voters should be able to get this information no more than 30 days after the election.[15][16]
A provisional ballot is rejected in the following circumstances:[17]
- If the voter is not registered; or
- If the voter is not entitled to vote at the precinct where they cast a vote.
Was your provisional ballot counted?
Visit the Florida Secretary of State'swebsite to find contact information for county elections officials to determine the status of a provisional ballot.
Primary election type
- See also:Primary elections in Florida
Aprimary 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 aclosed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[18][19]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, seethis 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.[20]
If you know of a relevant policy in this state, pleaseemail us.
Twenty-eight states require employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies vary as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.
Electioneering
Florida law prohibits people, political committees, or other groups or organizations from soliciting voters inside a polling place or within 150 feet of the entrance to a polling place, secure ballot intake station, an early voting site, or an office of the supervisor where vote-by-mail ballots are requested and printed.[21]
State law defines soliciting as:
| “ | ... seeking or attempting to seek any vote, fact, opinion, or contribution; distributing or attempting to distribute any political or campaign material, leaflet, or handout; conducting a poll except as specified in this paragraph; seeking or attempting to seek a signature on any petition; selling or attempting to sell any item; and engaging in any activity with the intent to influence or effect of influencing a voter. The terms “solicit” or “solicitation” may not be construed to prohibit an employee of, or a volunteer with, the supervisor from providing nonpartisan assistance to voters within the no-solicitation zone such as, but not limited to, giving items to voters, or to prohibit exit polling.[12] | ” |
State law also bans photography in the polling room or early voting area and restricts anyone from entering a polling place unless they are a poll watcher, inspector, election clerk, supervisor of elections, voter, person assisting a voter, law enforcement, or those assisting with a simulated election for minors.[21]
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
In Florida, people convicted of most felony offenses have their voting rights automatically restored upon completion of their entire sentence, including prison, probation, parole, and payment of any fines, fees, or restitution. Murder and felony sexual offenses are examples of felonies that permanently disqualify people from voting unless their right to vote is restored by the State Clemency Board.[22][23]
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.[24]
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).[25] 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.[26]
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:[27][28][29][30]
- 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,
- Remains on the inactive voter list through two general elections, or
- Is the subject of information provided to an election official that shows the voter is ineligible "because the voter is deceased, adjudicated a convicted felon without having had his or her voting rights restored, adjudicated mentally incapacitated without having had his or her voting rights restored, does not meet the age requirement pursuant ... is not a United States citizen, is a fictitious person, or has listed an address that is not his or her address of legal residence." The official must follow the procedures inFla. Stat. § 98.075 to give the person a chance to contest the information.
Inactive voter list rules
Florida law requires county election officials to conduct a voter registration maintenance program annually to identify voters whose addresses 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.[28]
The 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 and other sources, to provide member states with 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: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."[31]
Twenty-five states are participating members in the ERIC program. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have joined and participated in ERIC at some point.[32]
As of November 2025, Florida was not a participating member in ERIC.[33]
Secretary of StateCord 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."[34]
Post-election auditing
Florida state lawrequires post-election audits. The audit is conducted by the county canvassing board or local board responsible for certifying the election. Auditors must conduct either a manual audit or an automated audit.
A manual audit reviews votes cast in between 1 and 2% of precincts for one randomly-selected race appearing on the ballot. An automated audit reviews votes cast in every race appearing on the ballot and must include at least 20% of the precincts, which are chosen at random. 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 must be completed and the results made public no later than the end of the seventh day following the county certification of the election.[35]
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.[36][37]
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 ofprocedural 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.
Forty-six states and the District of Columbia require some form of post-election audit by law, excluding states with pilot programs. Of these, 39 states and the District of Columbia requiretraditional post-election audits, while three states requirerisk-limiting post-election audits, and three states require some other form of post-election audit, includingprocedural post-election audits.[38][36]
Election administration authorities
State election officials
In Florida, the governor appoints the secretary of state, who serves as the state's chief election official.[39][40]
The Florida Elections Commission enforces campaign finance law, as well as election crimes in Chapter 104 of Florida's election law.[41] The commission is composed of nine members appointed by the governor from lists provided by the president of the state senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and minority leaders from both houses.[41]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections inyour area? Are you looking foryour local election official?Click here to visit theU.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Noteworthy events
Voter registration ID requirements, dropbox rules, and other election changes (2021-2023)
On March 31, 2022, JudgeMark E. Walker, of theU.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.
In April 2023, a three-judge panel of judges on the 11th Circuit reversed most of the district court's ruling. The judges did uphold the lower court's ruling that parts of a ban on solicitation of voters within 150 feet of a polling place were unconstitutionally vague.[42]
Background
On May 6, 2021, GovRon DeSantis (R) signed SB90, making a series of changes to Florida's election laws, including (but not limited to) the following:[43]
- 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.).
TheFlorida House of Representatives and theFlorida 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.[43]
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, who was appointed by PresidentBarack Obama (D), ruled 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.[44]
| “ | 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.[12] | ” |
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.[44]
Walker also ruled that plaintiffs were entitled to 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."[44]
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.[44]
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 judgesKevin Newsom,Barbara Lagoa, andAndrew Brasher.[45]
In September 2022, a three-judge panel comprised of judgesWilliam Pryor,Britt Grant, andJill Pryor heard oral arguments on the merits of the case. In April 2023, the judges ruled 2-1 that much of the law was constitutional and refuted Walker's ruling that aspects of the law were racially discriminatory. The majority opinion, written by Judge William Pryor, who was appointed by PresidentGeorge W. Bush (R), said:[42]
| “ | The Supreme Court has warned against conflating discrimination on the basis of party affiliation with discrimination on the basis of race ...To be sure, as the organizations point out, “[i]ntentionally targeting a particular race’s access to the franchise because its members vote for a particular party” is impermissible ... But we must be careful not to infer that racial targeting is, in fact, occurring based solely on evidence of partisanship. Evidence of race-based discrimination is necessary to establish a constitutional violation.[12] | ” |
In her dissent, Judge Jill Pryor, who was appointed by Obama, wrote that the district court ruling was correct in ruling that it "committed no reversible error when it concluded that these provisions violated the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution, as well as section 2 of the VotingRights Act."[42]
The ruling did find that one provision, the ban on solicitation of voters within 150 feet of the polling place with an intent of "engaging in any activity with the intent to influence or effect of influencing a voter," was unconstitutionally vague.
The case was sent back to Walker, who closed the case on February 8, 2024.[46]
Election security force created and other election laws changed (2022)
On April 25, 2022, GovernorRon DeSantis (R) signed SB524 into law. SB524 made a number of changes to Florida's election laws, including, but not limited to, the following:[47]
- 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, theFlorida Senate approved the bill 24-14, with 23 Republicans and one Democrat voting in favor and 13 Democrats and one Republican in opposition. TheFlorida House of Representatives followed suit on March 9, approving the bill 76-41, with 76 Republicans voting in favor and 41 Democrats in opposition.[47]
Voting rights rules changed for people convicted of a felony (2020)
On May 24, 2020, JudgeRobert 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.[48][49][50]
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 JusticesSonia Sotomayor,Ruth Bader Ginsburg, andElena Kagan dissented.[51]
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 accessedhere.[52][53]
Florida Amendment 4, Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative (2018)
On November 6, 2018, Florida voters approved aninitiated constitutional amendment automatically restoring the right to vote for people with certain felony convictions (except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense) upon completion of their sentences, including prison, parole, and probation. The amendment was approved by a margin of 64.55 percent to 34.45 percent. The amendment took effect on January 8, 2019. Previously, people convicted of a felony in Florida could not automatically regain the right to vote; instead, a state board was able to restore voting rights on an individual basis.
Federal judge blocks secretary of state's order prohibiting early voting on college campuses (2018)
On July 24, 2018, a federal judge barred enforcement of an opinion issued by the Florida secretary of state in 2014, prohibiting the use of college campus sites as early voting locations. JudgeMark E. Walker, appointed by PresidentBarack Obama (D) in 2012 to theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, wrote: "Simply put, Defendant's Opinion reveals a stark pattern of discrimination. It is unexplainable on grounds other than age because it bears so heavily on younger voters than all other voters. Defendant's stated interests for the Opinion (following state law, avoiding parking issues, and minimizing on-campus disruption) reek of pretext. While the Opinion does not identify college students by name, its target population is unambiguous and its effects are lopsided. The Opinion is intentionally and facially discriminatory." Walker barred the secretary of state from enforcing the 2014 opinion, though he did not order election officials to designate early voting sites on college campuses, leaving such action to the discretion of local officials.[54]
In April 2020, the parties reached a deal allowing local election officials to consider using college campuses as early voting sites.[55]
Election policy ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Florida.
- Florida Amendment 2, Economic Impact Statements for Initiatives Amendment (2002)
- Florida Amendment 2, Requirements for Citizens' Initiatives Amendment (2004)
- Florida Amendment 1, Ethic Requirements and Procedures of Public Officials and Candidates Initiative (1976)
- Florida Amendment 11, Nonpartisan School Board Elections, Ballot Access Requirements, Public Campaign Financing, and Election Processes Amendment (1998)
- Florida Amendment 5, County Commissioners Amendment (1984)
- Florida Amendment 1, Suspension or Delay of Elections for Emergencies Amendment (1992)
- Florida Amendment 2, Supreme and Appellate Court Judges Amendment (1976)
- Florida Amendment 11, Judge of the Court of Record of Escambia County Amendment (1948)
- Florida Amendment 6, Judge of the Court of Record and County Solicitor for Escambia County Amendment (1946)
- Florida Amendment 4, Election of Circuit Judges Amendment (1942)
- Florida State and Local Bonds Amendment (1930)
- Florida School Districts and Tax Levy Amendment (1928)
- Florida County Commissioner Districts Amendment (1900)
- Florida November General Elections Amendment (October 1896)
- Florida Amendment 1, Election of Executive Officials Amendment (1963)
- Florida Amendment 1, Partisan School Board Elections Amendment (2024)
- Florida Amendment 3, Top-Two Open Primaries for State Offices Initiative (2020)
- Florida Top-Two Open Primaries for State Offices Initiative (2026)
- Florida Amendment 7, Selection of Circuit and County Judges Amendment (1998)
- Florida Amendment 6, Repeal of Public Financing for Statewide Campaigns Amendment (2024)
- Florida Amendment 2, Conduction of Elections Amendment (1968)
- Florida Allow Electronic Signatures for Initiative Petitions or Candidate Ballot Access Initiative (2026)
- Florida Require Insurance Rate Reductions for Policies with No Claims in Past Year Initiative (2026)
- Florida Allow School Board Appointment of Superintendents Amendment (May 1968)
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 bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia
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Ballot access
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.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- 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,click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contactstate election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).
Redistricting
- See also:Redistricting in Florida
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Florida's 28 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.[56][57][58][59]
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 aboutredistricting in Florida after the 2020 census.
State process
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 theFlorida 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 stateattorney general must ask the state supreme court to draft a plan. There are no similar procedures in place for congressional districts.[60]
TheFlorida 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."[60][61]
Contact information
Election agencies
- See also:State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Florida can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Florida County Supervisors of Elections
Florida Division of Elections
- R. A. Gray Building, Room 316
- 500 South Bronough Street
- Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250
- Phone: 850-245-6200
- Fax: 850-245-6217
- Email:DivElections@dos.state.fl.us
- Website:http://election.dos.state.fl.us/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email:clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website:https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's election coverage
See also
- Election laws and legislation in Florida
- State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
- Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
- Voting in Florida
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Florida
- Redistricting in Florida
Elections in Florida
- Florida elections, 2025
- Florida elections, 2024
- 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
Footnotes
- ↑We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑Florida Division of Elections, "FAQ - Voting," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑3.03.1Florida Division of Elections, "National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑4.04.14.24.3Florida Division of Elections, "Register to Vote or Update your Information," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑National Conference of State Legislatures, "Automatic Voter Registration," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑Florida Department of State, "Florida Voter Registration Application Instructions and Form," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship.According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑8.08.18.28.38.4Florida Division of Elections, "Vote-by-Mail," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑Florida Division of Elections, "Military and Overseas Citizens Voting," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 104.0616," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑11.011.1The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 101.69," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑12.012.112.212.312.412.5Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑13.013.1Florida Division of Elections, "Election Day Voting," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑Florida Division of Elections, "Florida History: Voter ID at the Polls," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑15.015.1Florida Division of Elections, "FAQ - Voting," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑Walton County Supervisor of Elections, "Provisional Ballots," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑National Conference of State Legislatures, "Provisional Ballots," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 101.021," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 97.055," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑NOLO, "Taking Time Off to Vote," accessed October 28, 2025
- ↑21.021.1The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 102.031," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 98.0751," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑Florida Department of State, "Felon Voting Rights," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," August 19, 2025
- ↑As of May 2024, the Justice Department notes, "Six States (Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) are exempt from the NVRA because, on and after August 1, 1994, they either had no voter-registration requirements or had election-day voter registration at polling places with respect to elections for federal office."
- ↑The United States Department of Justice, "The National Voter Registration Act of 1993," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 98.045," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑28.028.1The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 98.065," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 98.0655," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 98.075," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑ERIC, "FAQ," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ERIC, "Who We Are," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ERIC, "What is ERIC?" accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑Florida Secretary of State, “PRESS RELEASE: Florida Withdraws From Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) Amid Concerns About Data Privacy and Blatant Partisanship,” March 6, 2023
- ↑The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 101.591," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑36.036.1National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 2, 2025
- ↑Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed July 2, 2025
- ↑Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑Florida Department of State, "About the Department," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑Florida Department of State, "About the Secretary," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑41.041.1Florida Elections Commission, "About Our Agency," accessed November 26, 2025
- ↑42.042.142.2League of Women Voters, "11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling," April 27, 2023
- ↑43.043.1The Florida Senate, "CS/CS/CS/SB 90: Elections," accessed May 25, 2021
- ↑44.044.144.244.3United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, "League of Women Voters of Florida, Inc. v. Lee: Final Order Following Bench Trial," March 31, 2022
- ↑United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, "League of Women Voters of Florida, Inc. v. Lee: Order of the Court," May 6, 2022
- ↑League of Women Voters, "District Court Final Order on Remand," February 8, 2024
- ↑47.047.1The Florida Senate, "CS/CS/SB 524: Election Administration," accessed April 28, 2022
- ↑Online Sunshine, "The 2019 Florida Statutes," accessed October 17, 2019
- ↑Ballot Access News, "Eleventh Circuit Agrees with U.S. District Court that Ex-Felons Who Can’t Afford to Pay Restitution and Fines Must be Allowed to Register to Vote," February 19, 2020
- ↑Orlando Sentinel, "DeSantis to appeal Amendment 4 ruling that allows ex-felons to vote," May 26, 2020
- ↑Supreme Court of the United States, "Raysor v. DeSantis: On Application to Vacate Stay," July 16, 2020
- ↑United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, "Jones v. DeSantis: Opinion," September 11, 2020
- ↑The New York Times, "Ex-Felons in Florida Must Pay Fines Before Voting, Appeals Court Rules," September 11, 2020
- ↑United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, "League of Women Voters of Florida v. Detzner: Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction," July 24, 2018
- ↑Associated Press, "Settlement reached in Florida dispute over college voting," April 3, 2020
- ↑All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑60.060.1All About Redistricting, "Florida," accessed April 22, 2015
- ↑Florida Constitution, "Article III, Sections 20-21," accessed April 22, 2015
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