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ORLANDO, Fla. - Voters will be heading to the polls this year for several key races taking place in Florida.
There will be several important government seats voters will decide, including governor, congressional seats, Florida attorney general and county offices.
The general election will take place on Nov. 3, but before that, Florida will hold a primary election.
There are several important dates residents should know so they can make sure they are ready to vote.
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What is the Florida primary?
Primary elections are held to determine which candidate will be on the general election ballot in November for partisan races.
Florida is a closed primary state, so only voters registered with a political party can vote in that party's primary elections.
When is the 2026 Florida primary election?
The Florida primary will be held on Aug. 18.
All counties will offer an early voting period. Times and locations vary by county, so voters should check with their local supervisor of elections office for that information.
A mandatory early voting period for the primary runs from August 8–15.
When is the deadline to register to vote?
The deadline to register to vote for the primary election is July 20.
Voters who already registered to vote will have until that date to change their party affiliation to participate in the primary election.
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When is the deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot?
Florida voters can vote by mail. They will need to request a ballot by contacting their county supervisor of elections office, filing out a form online or in person.
The deadline to request a ballot be mailed is no later than 5 p.m. on August 6, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
The vote-by-mail ballot must be returned to the supervisor of elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, otherwise it doesn't count.
How to check your voter registration
To check to see if you're an active and registered voter in Florida, visit the Florida Division of Elections website and use the Voter Information Lookup tool.
You'll need to enter your first and last name and your date of birth.
The Source: This story was written with information from the Florida Department of State.