The Florida voter's guide to Election Day 2024

Florida voters have three options to cast their ballots in the 2024 General Election. 

1. Vote-by-mail

If you already requested a vote-by-mail ballot back in August for the primary election, you should already be getting one or already have one sent to you for the general election. If not, you have until 5 p.m. on Oct. 24 to request one.

Whether you mail it or drop it off at a local ballot intake station, your vote-by-mail ballot has to be received by the supervisor of elections office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

2. Early voting in person

Voting early is a great way to avoid long lines at the polling place, and it's already underway in all Tampa Bay-area counties. 

Depending on the county, early voting is available until Nov. 2 or Nov. 3. You can check the specifics here.

3. Vote on Election Day

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. Bring a photo ID that has your signature and, if you'd like, a sample ballot with your notes.

You can request that sample ballot here.

To find your specific polling place, select your county on this voter precinct finder then enter your address.

As mentioned above, several major elections are happening statewide and at the local level. Here are the biggest matchups we're monitoring. 

• President of the United States: Vice President Kamala Harris (D) vs former President Donald Trump (R)
• U.S. Senator: Incumbent Sen. Rick Scott (R) vs Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D)
• Hillsborough County State Attorney: Incumbent state attorney Suzy Lopez (R) vs ousted former state attorney Andrew Warren (D)
• U.S. Representative races: 
  • District 12: Incumbent Gus Bilirakis (R) vs Rock Aboujaoude Jr. (D)
  • District 13: Incumbent Anna Paulina Luna (R) vs Whitney Fox (D)
  • District 14: Robert "Rocky" Rochford (R) vs incumbent Kathy Castor (D)
  • District 15: Incumbent Laurel Lee (R) vs Patricia "Pat" Kemp (D)
  • District 16: Incumbent Vern Buchanan (R) vs. Jan Schneider (D)
  • District 17: Incumbent Greg Steube (R) vs Manny Lopez (D)
  • District 18: Incumbent Scott Franklin (R) vs Andrea Kale (D)
• St. Petersburg City Council runoff
  • District 3: Pete Boland vs Mike Harting
  • District 7: Wengay Newton vs Corey Givens, Jr

Florida voters will need to weigh in on six constitutional amendments placed on the Nov. 5 ballot. 

Two amendments are getting the most attention — Amendments 3 and 4. Amendment 3 would legalize recreational marijuana and Amendment 4 would limit the government's interference with abortion. 

But there are four other amendments. Here's a brief look at each: 

• Amendment 1: Partisan election of members of district school boards
• Amendment 2: Right to fish and hunt
• Amendment 3: Adult personal use of marijuana
• Amendment 4: Amendment to limit government interference with abortion
• Amendment 5: Annual adjustments to the value of certain homestead exemptions
• Amendment 6: Repeal of public campaign financing requirement

You can find more information and a full breakdown of the amendments by clicking or tapping here. 

Have questions about voting, Election Day and election results? Here are the answers to some of your most-asked questions. 

When do we find out who the president is?

It depends on how close the race is on election night after the polls close. In 2016, the race was called for former President Donald Trump on election night. In 2020, however, it took days for the race to be called for President Joe Biden. 

The Associated Press says it calls any race, including for president, whenever it is "100% certain there is no path for the trailing candidate to overtake the leading candidate." 

A majority of 270 Electoral College votes are needed to secure the presidency. 

What time do election results start coming in?

Election results could start coming in as soon as polls close. 

When do polls close in Florida?

Polls close in Florida at 7 p.m. local time on Nov. 5. Because the Sunshine State covers two different time zones, some polls in Florida will appear to close sooner or later depending on where you live. 

For when polls close across the United States, click here. 

Where to watch election results?

10 Tampa Bay is your Election Headquarters. You can get real-time results information by going to 10TampaBay.com/elections and watching election night coverage on our free streaming app, 10 Tampa Bay+.

How do I know if I’m registered to vote?

If you think you may already be registered to vote but you need to double-check, Florida makes it easy. 

1. Visit the state's Voter Information Lookup site.
2. Enter your first name, last name and date of birth and click "Submit."
3. Your voter registration information will automatically appear including your name, address, political party and voter status — "Active" means you're registered to vote. 

Click or tap here for more information about voter registration. 

Can I vote anywhere in Florida?

No. A voter on Election Day must vote at their assigned precinct and/or polling location. You can find your precinct or polling place by clicking or tapping here. 

If you are voting early or dropping off a vote-by-mail ballot, you can do so at any designated place within your county of residence. 

Why is voting important?

You've probably heard that voting is "your civic duty." But what does that mean for you? 

It wasn't until 1965's Voting Rights Act that every eligible American had the right to vote, regardless of their race or gender. In 1971, the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18. 

"Your vote may not directly elect the president, but if your vote joins enough others in your voting district or county, your vote undoubtedly matters when it comes to electoral results," National Geographic said online. 

Most states have a "winner take all" system where the winner of the popular vote gets the state's electoral votes. 

Also, voting is just as, if not more important on a local level where voter turnout is crucial in determining who decides races such as county commission, school board and state representatives. These are people who can impact how your tax dollars are used and shape the future of where you live. 

What do I need to bring to vote?

The only thing you need to bring to the polls in Florida is a current and valid photo ID that has your signature. Find accepted forms of ID here. 

If your ID doesn't have a signature, you'll be asked to provide a second ID that does have it. And if you forget an ID altogether, you can still cast a provisional ballot that will count as long as the signature on your ballot matches the signature on your registration record.

What is a provisional ballot?

A provisional ballot is just like a regular ballot but differs in how it's processed during the election. A voter could be challenged at the polls for several reasons, including questions about eligibility, not living in the precinct or having already voted. 

If challenged at the polls, every voter still has the right to vote via a provisional ballot. After exiting the voting booth, the voter's provisional ballot will be put in a certificate envelope instead of being fed into the tabulating machine, according to the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections. The envelope will have all your necessary identification information on it, including your signature. 

The signature on your provisional ballot will be compared to the one of file in your voter registration record. If they match and you are otherwise eligible, the provisional ballot will be counted. 

If your signature is missing or doesn't match, you have until 5 p.m. local time on the second day after the election to present more evidence of your eligibility for your ballot to count. 

You can get more information here.