WPTV.com wants to make it simple for you to vote in this important election year.
Below is a county-by-county guide for information on how to register, where to vote and what you need to know about the democratic process.
Am I eligible to vote?
The short answer is, most likely, yes, provided you meet a few basic requirements.
To register to vote, you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States of America (a lawful permanent resident is not a U.S. citizen for registration and voting purposes);
- Be a Florida resident;
- Be at least 18 years old (you may preregister if you are 16 years old);
- Not now be adjudicated mentally incapacitated concerning voting in Florida or any other state without having had your voting rights restored;
- Not have been convicted of a felony in Florida, or any other state, without your civil rights having been restored;
- Provide your current and valid Florida driver's license number or Florida identification card number. If you do not have a current and valid Florida driver's license number or Florida identification card, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you do not have any of the above, check the appropriate box provided on the voter registration application.
What do I need on Election Day?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Any voters waiting in line at 7 p.m. will have the opportunity to cast a ballot.
To vote, you must provide a Florida driver's license, identification card, U.S. passport or some other form of photo identification with signature.
What is a presidential preference primary?
A presidential preference primary election is part of the presidential nominating process for Florida's two major political parties.
Registered Republicans or Democrats select their preference for the presidential candidate they would like to be the party's nominee.
Delegates from each party formally nominate the preferred presidential candidate to be the party's nominee at the respective party's national convention.
The selected nominee will then represent the party on the general election ballot in November.
Only registered Republicans will participate in a presidential preference primary election in 2024.
Although some candidates have suspended or ended their presidential campaigns, they may still appear on the ballot. Under Florida law, if a candidate didn't formally withdraw before Dec. 12, 2023, the candidate's name must remain on the presidential preference primary election ballot.
A vote cast for any candidate appearing on the ballot will count as a vote for that candidate.
How does Florida being a closed-primary state impact my vote?
Because Florida is a closed-primary state, only voters who are registered members of political parties may vote for respective party candidates or nominees during a primary election.
There may be times when all registered voters can participate in a primary election, regardless of political affiliation. They are:
- If all the candidates for an office have the same party affiliation and the winner of the primary election will not face any opposition in the general election, then all registered voters can vote for any of the candidates for that office.
- If races for nonpartisan judicial and school board offices, nonpartisan special districts or local referendum questions are on the primary election ballot, then all registered voters, including those without party affiliation, are entitled to vote.
A person can register with a party or change his or her party affiliation at any time, but he or she must do so by the registration deadline for that primary election.
Does my municipality have an election this year?
A total of 22 Palm Beach County municipalities have elections this March. They are, in alphabetical order:
- Belle Glade
- Boca Raton
- Delray Beach
- Greenacres
- Highland Beach
- Hypoluxo
- Juno Beach
- Jupiter Inlet Colony
- Lake Park
- Lake Worth Beach
- Lantana
- Loxahatchee Groves
- North Palm Beach
- Ocean Ridge
- Pahokee
- Palm Beach
- Riviera Beach
- Royal Palm Beach
- South Bay
- Tequesta
- Wellington
- West Palm Beach
Voters living in the Martin County town of Sewall's Point will be asked to participate in a special election in March to select a new commissioner.
The special election will fill the seat vacated by James Campo, who stepped down at the end of last year. Voters will decide between Vinny Barile and Diane Kimes. Whoever wins will serve out the remainder of Campo's term, which ends in November 2026.
Although Palm Beach Gardens has no municipal election, voters living in the five geographical areas that the city wants to annex will have the issue appear on their ballots in March.
Voters living within the boundaries of the municipality are eligible to participate in the election.
Each municipality has its own set of rules when it comes to whether a run-off election is necessary. All voters eligible to vote within a municipality may vote in a municipal run-off election.
Important Dates
Feb. 20: Deadline to register to vote in municipal and presidential preferential primary elections
March 19: Municipal and presidential preferential primary elections
July 22: Deadline to register to vote and change party affiliation for primary election
Aug. 20: Primary election
Oct. 7: Deadline to register to vote and change party affiliation for general election
Nov. 5: General election
Palm Beach County
Martin County
St. Lucie County
Indian River County
Okeechobee County
Important Races
President of the United States
Republican Candidates
Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina
Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States
Democratic Nominee
Joe Biden (incumbent)
U.S. Senate
Republican Candidates
Rick Scott, former Florida governor (incumbent)
Democratic Candidates
Matt Boswell
Rod Joseph
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, former U.S. congresswoman from Florida's 26th congressional district
Jason Williams
No Party Affiliation
Shantele Bennett
Howard Knepper
U.S. House
Democratic Nominee, Florida's 20th Congressional District
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (incumbent)
Republican Nominee, Florida's 21st Congressional District
Brian Mast (incumbent)
Democratic Candidates, Florida's 22nd Congressional District
Lois Frankel, former West Palm Beach mayor (incumbent)
Dean Halper
Republican Candidates, Florida's 22nd Congressional District
Deborah Adeimy, West Palm Beach businesswoman and 2022 congressional candidate
Dan Franzese, Palm Beach businessman and 2022 Republican congressional nominee
Democratic Nominee, Florida's 23rd Congressional District
Jared Moskowitz, Coral Springs resident and former director of Florida Department of Emergency Management (incumbent)
Republican Nominee, Florida's 23rd Congressional District
Carla Spalding, Deerfield Beach resident and former U.S. Navy nurse
Robert Weinroth, Boca Raton resident and former Palm Beach County commissioner
Florida House
Republican Candidate, District 84
Dana Trabulsy (incumbent)
Republican Candidate, District 85
Toby Overdorf (incumbent)
Republican Candidate, District 86
John Snyder (incumbent)
Republican Candidate, District 87
Mike Caruso (incumbent)
Republican Candidate, District 88
Ramon Arte Barber, West Palm Beach businessman
Democratic Candidate, District 88
Jervontae Edmonds (incumbent)
Republican Candidate, District 89
Daniel Zapata, West Palm Beach teacher
Democratic Candidate, District 89
Destinie Baker Sutton, West Palm Beach attorney and former assistant state attorney
Debra Tendrich, founder of Eat Better Live Better
Republican Candidate, District 90
Bill Reicherter, 2022 Democratic nominee for Florida Senate
Democratic Candidate, District 90
Joe Casello (incumbent)
Republican Candidate, District 91
Peggy Gossett-Seidman (incumbent)
Democratic Candidate, District 91
Michaelangelo Collins Hamilton, 2022 Democratic congressional candidate
Jay Shooster, Boca Raton lawyer
Democratic Candidate, District 92
Kelly Skidmore (incumbent)
Palm Beach County State Attorney
Alexcia Cox, deputy chief assistant state attorney (Democrat)
Forrest Freedman, Boca Raton attorney (Republican)
Gregg Lerman, defense attorney and 2016 judicial candidate (Democrat)
Rolando Silva, former Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy and special state prosecutor (Democrat)
Samuel Stern, Palm Beach Gardens attorney and former assistant state attorney (Republican)
Craig Williams, assistant state attorney (Democrat)
Palm Beach County Public Defender
Daniel Eisinger, chief assistant public defender (Democrat)
Adam Frankel, Delray Beach commissioner (Democrat)
St. Lucie County Sheriff
Richard Del Toro, assistant chief of Port St. Lucie Police Department (Republican)
Keith Pearson, appointed to fill term of Sheriff Ken Mascara (Republican)
Click here for complete candidate listings for the 2024 primary and general elections.
