ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — People looking to vote in Florida's presidential primary have until Tuesday, Feb. 18, to register or change their party affiliation.
Florida is a closed primary election state, meaning only voters affiliated with a party may vote for their respective parties candidates.
Both parties will find candidates who have since dropped out of the presidential race still reflected on their ballots, which could lead voters to run the risk of voting for a candidate no longer running.
Here is a list of each parties candidates still currently in contention:
Democrats: Mike Bloomberg, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Tulsi Gabbard and Tom Steyer.
Republicans: Donald Trump and Bill Weld
If you still need to register or change party affiliation, you can do so through the Florida online voter registration system.
You will need a Florida driver's license or ID card to register.
According to the Florida Division of Elections, as of December 2019, there were 4.76 million registered Republicans and 4.98 million registered Democratic voters.
Only 27 percent of Florida voters turned up to vote in the 2018 presidential primary.
Florida's presidential primary takes place on March 17, with early voting dates varying by county.
Tampa Bay early voting start dates by county:
March 2: Hillsborough and Polk
March 5: Hardee
March 6: Hernando and Citrus
March 7: Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota and Highlands
Political expert Dr. Lars Hafner said he thinks we'll see a "voter increase in all demographics" in 2020 across Florida.
"I think that’s going to be the trend around the state, that this is going to be a make it or break it election for a lot of people," Hafner said. "There are a lot of people dug in in their points of view and a small group of people in the middle who will really decide the election here in Florida."
What other people are reading right now:
- Kentucky firefighter, daughter among 4 killed in crash while headed to volleyball tournament
- 'Hopefully I scared him': Florida man baits mail package thief
- Trump's Daytona: NASCAR fans revved up for presidential visit
- Police: 17-year-old at large after fatally shooting mom and 6-year-old brother
- 'I just want to leave school forever': Girl battling cancer says student snatched wig off her head and called her names
- In reversal, Florida approves $2 million compensation claim for man wrongfully convicted in 1976
