Florida’s August primary is two weeks away. Here are the deadlines voters still have
Florida’s Aug. 18, 2026, primary election is two weeks away. Voters who want a ballot mailed to them must act by 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, while early voting begins Saturday, Aug. 8.
The three dates to track are the Aug. 6 vote-by-mail request deadline, the Aug. 8-15 mandatory early-voting period and Aug. 18 Election Day. A completed domestic vote-by-mail ballot must be received by the county Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. local time on Aug. 18; a postmark alone does not satisfy that deadline.
Three dates to mark
- Aug. 6 at 5 p.m.: Deadline to request that a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed.
- Aug. 8-15: Mandatory early-voting period. Counties set the locations and daily hours, and may offer additional days.
- Aug. 18: Primary Election Day. Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. local time.
The Florida Division of Elections lists these dates in its 2026 election calendar. The primary is used to nominate party candidates for offices that will appear on the general-election ballot.
How to request a vote-by-mail ballot
Requests must go to the Supervisor of Elections in the county where the voter is registered. A voter may submit a request through a county-specific online system, by signed writing, in person or by phone.
A request generally must include the voter’s name, date of birth, address, a Florida driver license or identification-card number—or the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number, whichever can be verified in county records—and a signature for a written request. Written requests use the statewide DS-DE 160 form.
Voters should use the state’s county directory to find the correct election office and its request system. The Aug. 6 deadline applies to requesting that a ballot be mailed; it is not a voter-registration or party-affiliation deadline. That deadline was July 20.
Returning a completed mail ballot
A voted ballot must be received by the county Supervisor of Elections no later than 7 p.m. local time on Election Day, Aug. 18. For domestic voters, a postmark alone does not meet the deadline, and ballots received late generally are not counted.
Voters may return ballots through the U.S. Postal Service, a private or commercial carrier or in person. Secure ballot intake stations are available at authorized county locations, including designated early-voting sites and certain Supervisor of Elections offices. Locations, dates and hours vary by county.
The state says domestic voters should mail ballots at least one week before the Election Day deadline to allow time for delivery problems or weather. Anyone using a drop box should confirm the county’s posted schedule rather than assume it is available at all times.
How early voting works
During the mandatory early-voting period, eligible registered voters may use any designated early-voting site in their county. The statewide mandatory window is Aug. 8 through Aug. 15, but locations and hours are determined locally.
Florida requires early-voting sites to operate at least eight hours and no more than 12 hours per day during the applicable period. Supervisors may offer additional early-voting days before or after the mandatory window. Check the county’s election office before traveling.
The Division of Elections’ current statewide file lists primary-election sites and secure ballot intake information, but notes that Suwannee County had not yet reported its information when the page was updated July 31. Suwannee County voters should confirm details directly with their county election office.
Who can vote in a party primary?
Florida is generally a closed-primary state. Voters normally must be registered members of a political party to vote for that party’s candidates in a primary election.
The deadline to register or change party affiliation for the Aug. 18 primary was July 20. That deadline has passed. Florida law includes exceptions to the closed-primary rule, so voters who are unsure which contests they can vote in should check their registration and ballot information with their county election office.
If your plans change
Requesting a vote-by-mail ballot does not prevent a voter from voting in person. Voters should bring the mailed ballot, marked or unmarked, to the polling place. If they do not have it, election officials must verify whether it was already returned and received. If the ballot has not been received, the voter may cast a regular ballot; if officials cannot determine its status, the voter may be required to cast a provisional ballot.
Voters can use county-specific online tools to track a vote-by-mail request and whether a returned ballot has been received. If election officials notify a voter that a ballot certificate has a missing or mismatched signature, the voter may be able to correct it with a vote-by-mail ballot cure affidavit and identification. The state deadline is 5 p.m. local time on the second day after the election, but voters should follow the instructions and contact information in the county notice.
Where to check final details
County election offices control the practical details that can affect a voting plan: request links, early-voting addresses, daily hours, secure drop-box locations and ballot-status lookups. Use the Florida Division of Elections’ Supervisor of Elections directory to contact the office in your county of registration before voting.
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