Florida

When is early voting in Florida for the 2024 primary election? What to know, by county

Published

2 years ago

August 7, 2024

When is early voting in Florida for the 2024 primary election? What to know, by county

A year’s worth of election news has happened in the last few weeks, but the election is in fact getting closer. Mail-in ballots for the Aug. 20 primary election have started going out and early voting locations are already open in some locations, although Tropical Storm/Hurricane Debby shut a few down for a day.

Here’s what you need to know.

When is the Florida Primary Election for 2024?

The primary election in Florida is on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024.

What is early voting?

There are often long lines at the polls every Election Day, especially in areas without enough polling locations, with voters sometimes waiting for hours to cast their ballots, and some people can’t get to the polls on a Tuesday.

To help alleviate that, early voting was established to let people to vote early at a more convenient time, with the same equipment used on Election Day.

When does early voting in Florida start and end?

Any election that includes a state or federal race is required to offer early voting, which must run from at least the 10th day before the election to the 3rd day before the election. Each county Supervisor of Elections may choose to offer more early voting days, starting up to five days earlier or lasting one day longer.

Here are the early voting dates by county in Florida. Click the county names for more information and locations.

Alachua: Aug. 5-17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Baker: Aug. 8-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Bay: Aug. 5-17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bradford: Aug. 5-18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Brevard: Aug. 10-17, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday-Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Broward: Aug. 10-18, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Calhoun: Aug. 8-17 at the Supervisor of Elections Office, Aug. 10-17 at Shelton Park Library
Charlotte: Aug. 5-18, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m
Citrus: Aug. 9-17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Clay: Aug. 8-17, from 8 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Collier: Aug. 10-17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Columbia: Aug. 10-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
DeSoto: Aug. 5-17, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dixie: Aug. 10-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Duval: Aug. 7-18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Escambia: Aug. 10-17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Flagler: Aug. 10-17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Franklin: Aug. 8-17, from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Gadsden: Aug. 7-18, no times provided
Gilchrist: Aug. 10-17, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Glades: Aug. 10-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Gulf: Aug. 10-17, no times listed yet
Hamilton: Aug. 10-17, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Hardee: Aug. 8-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Hendry: Aug. 5-17, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Hernando: Aug. 10-17, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Highlands: Aug. 8-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Hillsborough: Aug. 5-18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Holmes: Aug. 10-17, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Indian River: Aug. 10-17, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jackson: Aug. 6-17, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Jefferson: Aug. 6-17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lafayette: Aug. 10-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Lake: Aug. 8-17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Lee: Aug. 10-17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Leon: Aug. 10-18, most locations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Leon County Courthouse open from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Levy: Aug. 6-17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Liberty: Aug. 6-17, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Madison: Aug. 10-17, no times listed yet
Manatee: Aug. 10-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Marion: Aug. 10-17, from no times listed yet
Martin: Aug. 10-17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Miami-Dade: Aug. 5-18, various times
Monroe: Aug. 5-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nassau: Aug. 7-17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Okaloosa: Aug. 10-17, no times listed yet
Okeechobee: Aug. 10-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Orange: Aug. 5-18, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Osceola: Aug. 5-18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Palm Beach: Aug. 10-18, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Pasco: Aug. 10-17, no times listed yet
Pinellas: Aug. 10-18, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Polk: Aug. 10-17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Putnam: Aug. 5-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Santa Rosa: Aug. 5-17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sarasota: Aug. 10-18, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Seminole: Aug. 10-17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
St. Johns: Aug. 10-17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
St. Lucie: Aug. 10-17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sumter: Aug. 10-17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Suwannee: Aug. 10-17, no times listed yet
Taylor: Aug. 5-18, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Union: Aug. 10-17, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Volusia: Aug. 10-17, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wakulla: Aug. 10-17, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Walton: Aug. 10-17, various times
Washington: Aug. 5-17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Do I need an ID for early voting in Florida?

To cast a ballot at an early voting site, you must have a photo ID. Acceptable IDs include:

Florida Driver License
Florida ID Card (issued by DHSMV)
U.S. Passport
Debit or Credit Card
Military ID
Student ID
Retirement Center ID
Neighborhood Association ID
Public Assistance ID
Veteran Health ID (issued by the US Department of Veterans Affairs)
Concealed Weapon License (issued pursuant to F.S. 790.06)
Employee ID card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality.

If your photo ID does not include your signature, you will be asked to provide another ID that has your signature.

Can I still vote in Florida if I forgot or don’t have an ID?

If you don’t have an ID with you when you vote you’ll still be allowed to, but you will be required to vote a provisional ballot which will later be evaluated by a canvassing board to make sure it’s eligible.

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Florida

Pilot program aims to build $200K homes in Central Florida to help low-income families buy, not rent

Published

5 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Pilot program aims to build 0K homes in Central Florida to help low-income families buy, not rent

ORLANDO, Fla. – For many Central Florida families, the dream of owning a home feels further out of reach than ever.

With the median home price now topping $400,000, a new pilot program in Orlando is trying to change that by building new homes for about half the cost.

A lot off Quill Avenue in Parramore may not look like much right now, but organizers say it could soon be the site of a new home priced around $200,000 for low-income families.

“We just really wanted an opportunity to bring actual affordable housing to people who have basically been forever renters,” said Satrina Whithead with the GXVE Homes Initiative.

The GXVE Homes Initiative says the goal is to help families earning between $16,000 and $65,000 a year get a chance at homeownership. Whithead said the homes could range from 500 to 1,400 square feet, depending on the lot size and location.

The Orlando Regional Realtor Association reports the median home price in the area is now more than $400,000. Whithead said GXVE hopes to sell homes for about half that.

“There’s nothing wrong with profit, but at the end of the day, I want to help where the need is greatest,” Whithead said.

Organizers say they are already planning to build in Parramore and are working to close on two additional properties. They also say they have properties planned in Sanford and Mims, with a goal of bringing eight homes a year to Central Florida.

“You can pay 80 percent of your salary on rent just to have a place to live. So getting that number back down to around 50 percent is extremely important,” said Mike Harris, vice president of GXVE Homes.

Florida Made Tiny Homes, which is partnering with the organization, said it plans to build concrete homes that exceed safety requirements for the area.

“I don’t think there’s going to be anything available on the market in that price range, much less new construction,” said Dylan Grace, co-founder of Florida Made Tiny Homes.

Program organizers say they expect to start construction in the fall and hope to complete the first home within six to eight months after work begins. For more information please click here.

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Florida

Ex-Florida juvenile probation officer accused of leaking court info to drug traffickers

Published

15 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Ex-Florida juvenile probation officer accused of leaking court info to drug traffickers

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A former Florida juvenile probation officer is facing more than 100 felony charges after investigators said she leaked confidential court and law enforcement information to people tied to a drug trafficking investigation.

Crystal Gaynell Ann Lawson was booked into the Orange County Jail on Thursday, according to Orange County Corrections records.

Investigators said Lawson improperly accessed the Comprehensive Case Information System, or CCIS, more than 100 times and shared information from active criminal cases with members of a drug trafficking organization.

FOX 35 Orlando reported Lawson was arrested on 113 felony counts of computer crimes for unauthorized access. Investigators said she allegedly accessed the database 106 times between January and May.

Lawson is accused of using the database to search for active criminal cases tied to members of the organization. Authorities said some of the information that was leaked included arrest warrants and documents connected to an active investigation.

Lawson was hired by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in February 2022. As part of that job, she was given access to the CCIS database. Authorities said she was fired later that year after an arrest, but her database access was not terminated.

See also: ‘Elf,’ ‘Couples Retreat’ actor jailed with no bond after Florida arrest

Investigators said the leaks resulted in lost evidence, unrecovered assets and at least one person fleeing to avoid arrest before later being taken into custody.

Lawson previously worked for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, where she had access to the court information system as part of her job. Authorities said she was later fired, but her database access was not terminated.

Orange County Corrections records list Lawson’s case status as “presentenced” and show multiple entries for “offense against computer users.”

The records list the arresting agency as the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and show bond amounts of $10,000 on several listed case sequences. The jail record also notes an “ICJIS Affidavit.”

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Florida

Weather Aware Day declared for Friday as heat and strong storms threaten Central Florida

Published

1 day ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Weather Aware Day declared for Friday as heat and strong storms threaten Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. – Strong thunderstorms continue to push across Central Florida Thursday evening, with a few storms capable of producing gusty winds, frequent lightning, torrential rainfall and isolated damage before activity gradually winds down later tonight.

The strongest storms are expected through about 10 p.m., with most of the activity weakening and moving offshore by around 11 p.m. Storms are being fueled by sea breeze collisions and abundant moisture across the state. In addition to strong wind gusts, torrential downpours could lead to ponding of water on roads and minor flooding in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.

While storms remain the immediate concern this evening, another round of impactful weather is expected Friday.

The News 6 Weather Team has designated Friday as a Weather Aware Day due to the combination of dangerous heat and the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms.

Before storms develop, temperatures will climb into the low to mid-90s Friday afternoon. Combined with high humidity, it will feel more like 102 to 107 degrees across much of Central Florida. Some locations could once again approach or exceed Heat Advisory criteria.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon and evening hours. The atmosphere will be loaded with tropical moisture, allowing storms to produce frequent lightning, damaging wind gusts, and torrential rainfall.

The Storm Prediction Center has placed all of Central Florida under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather Friday. While widespread severe weather is not expected, a few storms could become strong enough to produce damaging winds.

In addition, the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted portions of Central Florida for a Level 1 out of 4 risk of excessive rainfall. Any storm will be capable of producing very heavy rain in a short amount of time, which could lead to localized flooding.

The unsettled pattern continues into the weekend. Storm coverage is expected to increase Saturday, and some locations could see multiple rounds of heavy rain. While a few stronger storms remain possible, the flooding threat may become a greater concern by Saturday afternoon and evening.

Looking ahead to next week, rain chances are expected to gradually decrease, but the heat is not going anywhere. High temperatures will remain in the low to mid-90s, with heat index values frequently climbing above 100 degrees. Forecast guidance suggests a higher heat risk could develop once again across Central Florida as we head deeper into next week.

At the beaches, a moderate risk of rip currents continues. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard if you’re heading to the beach.

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