Your guide to early voting for the 2024 presidential primary election

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Registered Republican voters in Hillsborough and Polk counties have started to cast their early voting ballots for the 2024 Republican presidential preference primary election. It's the time when Floridians get to have their say on who should be the GOP candidate for president, and face off against the Democratic candidate in November.

Florida is a closed primary state, which means only voters registered to the Republican party can cast a ballot. Registered Democrats in Florida will have to wait for November's general election to cast a vote. That's because the Florida Democratic Party unanimously voted for President Joe Biden to be named on a primary ballot in October 2023, effectively canceling the state's primary election for other Democratic candidates Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips.

As early voting rolls out across Tampa Bay, here's everything you need to know:

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 4 until March 17.
• You can find a list of polling locations here, which are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

POLK COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 4 until March 16.
• You can find a map of polling locations here, which are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

CITRUS COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 8 until March 16.
• Polling locations (all will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily)
  • Central Ridge Community Center
  • Supervisor of Elections Office, West Citrus Government Center
  • Homosassa Public Library
  • Inverness City Hall
  • Central Ridge Library
    

PASCO COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 9 until March 16.
• You can find a map of polling locations along with wait times here. The sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

PINELLAS COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 9 until March 17
• Polling locations
  • Supervisor of Elections Office, Election Service Center (Largo)
  • Supervisor of Elections Office, County Building (St. Petersburg)
  • Supervisor of Elections Office, Pinellas County Courthouse (Clearwater)
• Hours of operation
  • Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Saturday & Sunday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 9 until March 16
• You can find a list of polling locations along with wait times here. The sites will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

SARASOTA COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 9 until March 17.
• Polling locations (all will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily)
  • Sarasota elections office
  • Venice elections office
  • North Port elections office
  • North Sarasota Library
  • Fruitville Library
  • Gulf Gate Library

HARDEE COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 4 until March 16. 
• Cast your vote at the Hardee County Library. It will be open to voters from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

DESOTO COUNTY

• Early voting runs from March 4 until March 16. 
• Cast your vote at the Supervisor of Elections Office. Hours of operation:
  • Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday & Sunday: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

What to bring to the polls

Bring a photo ID that has your signature and, if you'd like, a sample ballot with your notes. For more information on the 2024 Republican presidential primary election, check out Florida's Division of Elections website.