Florida state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

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2018 Florida
State Legislature elections
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GeneralNovember 6, 2018
PrimaryAugust 28, 2018
2018 elections
Choose a chamber below:


The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the Florida State Senate and Florida House of Representatives were on August 28, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Florida, click here.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was June 22, 2018. In the state Senate, 20 of 40 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 120 seats were up for election.



HIGHLIGHTS
  • As of September 2018, Florida was one of 26 Republican trifectas. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.
  • Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

    Retiring incumbents

    Ten state House Democrats did not seek re-election in 2018.

    Incumbents defeated

    One state House Democratic incumbent was defeated in the primaries.

    One state Senate Democratic incumbent was defeated in the primaries.

    Competitiveness

    See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Florida state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
    Year Total seats Open seats Total candidates Democratic primaries contested Republican primaries contested Total contested Incumbents contested in primaries Total incumbents contested in primaries
    2018 140 36 320 38 31 24.6% 20 19.2%
    2016 160 62 381 42 34 23.8% 14 14.3%
    2014 140 17 252 14 29 15.4% 22 17.9%

    Partisan control

    The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida State Senate as of August 2018:

    Florida House of Representatives

    Party As of August 2018
         Democratic Party 41
         Republican Party 76
         Vacancies 3
    Total 120

    Florida State Senate

    Party As of August 2018
         Democratic Party 16
         Republican Party 23
         Vacancies 1
    Total 40

    Voter information

    How the primary works

    A primary 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 a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[4][5]

    For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

    Poll times

    In Florida, 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. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[6]

    Registration requirements

    Check your voter registration status here.

    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. Pre-registration is available beginning at 16 years of age.[7][8]

    Voters may retrieve registration applications at the following locations:[7]

    • Local elections offices
    • Public assistance agencies
    • Disability services agencies
    • Independent living centers
    • Military recruitment offices
    • Public libraries
    • Drivers 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 available online. The form can be printed and submitted via mail.[8]

    Click here to find your county Supervisor of Elections.

    Automatic registration

    Florida does not practice automatic voter registration.

    Online registration

    See also: Online voter registration

    Florida has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this 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 system here.

    Same-day registration

    Florida does not allow same-day voter registration.

    Residency requirements

    To register to vote in Florida, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

    Verification of citizenship

    See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

    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 to submit false information." [9]

    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.[10] 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 page Voter Information Lookup, run by the Florida Department of State, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

    Voter ID requirements

    Florida requires voters to present photo identification with a signature while voting.[11][12]

    The following list of accepted ID was current as of July 2024. Click here for the Florida Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

    • Florida driver’s license
    • Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
    • United States 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
    • 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

    A voter who presents an ID without a signature must show a second form of identification that includes the voter’s signature.

    Early voting

    Florida permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this 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 voting

    All voters are eligible to vote by mail in Florida. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting by mail.[13]

    To vote by mail, an application must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the 12th day before the election. Election officials must mail the ballot out within 2 business days after a request, but no later than the 10th day before election day.[13]

    A returned ballot must then be received by election officials by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.[13]


    See also

    Footnotes

    1. Counties could add additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
    2. Counties could add additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
    3. Berman resigned in April 2019 to run for Florida State Senate.
    4. National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 23, 2024
    5. Florida Division of Elections, "Closed Primary Election," accessed July 23, 2024
    6. Florida Secretary of State, "FAQ - Voting," accessed July 23, 2024
    7. 7.0 7.1 Florida Division of Elections, "National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)," accessed July 23, 2024
    8. 8.0 8.1 Florida Division of Elections, "Register to Vote or Update your Information," accessed July 23, 2024
    9. Florida Department of State, "Florida Voter Registration Application Instructions and Form," accessed November 1, 2024
    10. 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."
    11. Florida Division of Elections, "Election Day Voting," accessed July 22, 2024
    12. Florida Division of Elections, "Florida History: Voter ID at the Polls," accessed July 22, 2024
    13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Florida Division of Elections, "Vote-by-Mail," accessed July 23, 2024