*Originally published on June 17, 2024. Republished on July 22, as a timely reminder of the deadline to register to vote ahead of the primary election.

MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – To put it bluntly, fulfilling your civic duty of voting can be confusing for a lot of people. From registration deadlines to mail-in voting, early voting dates to where to vote in-person, determining your district and then figuring out for whom to cast your ballot… it’s a lot.

Don’t worry. At 352today, we have you covered. We’re committed to providing you all the important information you need to be prepared.

Here’s a guide to get you ready to cast your ballot in the primary and general elections and make your voting experience stress-free.

Deadlines/Important Dates
Elections have a multitude of deadlines, and if you get caught in the chaos that is life, you may not pay attention to when those deadlines approach. Here are a few to keep in mind regarding the upcoming primary election on Tuesday, August 20:

  • Deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation: July 22, 2024
  • Deadline to request your ballot be mailed: August 8, 2024
  • Early voting period: August 10 – 17, 2024
  • Primary Election Day: August 20, 2024

As for the general election on Tuesday, November 5, you have several months still to figure things out. Also, keep in mind that with general elections, there is no deadline for changing your party affiliation:

  • Deadline to register to vote: October 7, 2024
  • Deadline to request your ballot be mailed: October 24, 2024
  • Early voting period:  October 26 – November 2, 2024
  • Election Day: November 5, 2024

Register to Vote
In order to register to vote, applicants must meet the following requirements set by the Supervisor of Elections:

  • Be a Citizen of the United States of America (a lawful permanent resident, commonly referred to as a “green card holder,” does not have the right to register or vote in Florida).
  • Be a Florida resident.
  • Be at least 18 years old (you may pre-register to vote if you are 16 years old).
  • Not have been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored.
  • Not have been convicted of a felony without your voting rights having been restored.

To check your registration status, click here.

Ways to Vote
Registered to vote? Sweet. Now that you’ve earned your stripes as a registered voter, there are a few different ways you can sign, seal and deliver your ballot:

  • Vote-in-person on Election Day: The most traditional way to submit a ballot. If you wish to vote on Election Day, you must show up to your voting precinct within the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
  • Vote-in-person before Election Day: If you wish to submit a ballot early, you can do so. Early voting begins 10 days before a county-wide election and ends three days before the election.
  • Vote-by-mail: If you wish to vote-by-mail, you must request a vote-by-mail ballot beforehand. You can check the status of your mail-in-ballot on the Supervisor of Elections website.

Voting Precinct
The Florida Division of Elections website is a great place to start for election information. The site allows you to look up your precinct number and see who will be on the ballot in your county.

Voting Locations
If you’re otherwise unsure where your voting location is, the websites for the Supervisor of County Elections are super helpful. In Marion County, there’s a Precinct Finder tool that allows you to look up your voting precinct. All you have to do is punch your house number and street name into the website to look it up. If you live outside of the Marion County region, there’s no need to fret. We have the links posted below for your county’s precinct finder, as well:

Sample Ballots

Voter Identification
There are plenty of acceptable forms of voter identification:

  • Florida driver’s license
  • Florida identification card issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
  • U.S. 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
  • A 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

Change Address/Voting information
If you want to change your address, click here to visit a link from the Supervisor of Elections website. The website also allows you to update your voter registration at your convenience.