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Florida state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 27 - Nov. 3[2]
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| 2018 Florida State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | August 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.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Ten state House Democrats did not seek re-election in 2018.
- Sean Shaw (District 61)
- Janet Cruz (District 62)
- Joseph Abruzzo (District 81)
- Larry Lee, Jr. (District 84)
- Lori Berman (District 90)[3]
- Barrington A. Russell (District 95)
- Katie Edwards (District 98)
- Cynthia Stafford (District 109)
- David Richardson (District 113)
- Robert Asencio (District 118)
Incumbents defeated
One state House Democratic incumbent was defeated in the primaries.
- Roy Hardemon (District 108)
One state Senate Democratic incumbent was defeated in the primaries.
- Daphne Campbell (District 38)
Competitiveness
| 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
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 October 2025. 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
- Florida state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- Florida House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Florida State Senate elections, 2018
- Florida State Legislature
- Florida elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Counties could add additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
- ↑ Counties could add additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
- ↑ Berman resigned in April 2019 to run for Florida State Senate.
- ↑ The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 101.021," accessed October 20, 2025
- ↑ The Florida Senate, "Fla. Stat. § 97.055," accessed October 20, 2025
- ↑ Florida Secretary of State, "FAQ - Voting," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Florida Division of Elections, "National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Florida Division of Elections, "Register to Vote or Update your Information," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Florida Department of State, "Florida Voter Registration Application Instructions and Form," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Election Day Voting," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Florida History: Voter ID at the Polls," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Florida Division of Elections, "Vote-by-Mail," accessed July 23, 2024
