Today is the Florida presidential preference primary election, when voters across Florida head to the polls to vote for the presidential candidate they want to represent their party in the November General Election.
There is only one contest on the ballot for most Florida voters, including Leon County voters: the Republican presidential primary. And Donald Trump has already clinched the nomination after all other candidates dropped out or suspended their campaigns. But analysts say Tuesday night’s results could offer clues on just how much of a lock Trump has on the party faithful.
This is your place for updates throughout the day as voters cast ballots and once results roll in after polls close at 7 and 8 p.m. EST.
When will returns come in from the GOP presidential primary?
Results from the GOP presidential primary should start to come in shortly after polls close at 7 p.m.
Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide
In Leon County, all of the early votes and most of the mail ballots should be posted before 7:30 p.m., said Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley. About 85-90% of in-person vote results should be posted by around 8 p.m.
“We should have final results in I would think by 9 o’clock, maybe 9:30, but it should be done before then,” Earley said. “It could be 8:30 p.m.”
Turnout in Leon County’s GOP presidential primary could land in mid-20s or higher
Leon County turnout in the GOP presidential primary could land in the in the mid-20s or higher percentagewise as Republicans cast votes in a contest in which the nominee, former President Donald Trump, has already been selected.
As of 8:30 a.m., some 15.36% of Leon County’s 54,463 GOP voters have cast ballots in the primary. Some 8,365 Republicans have voted so far, according to unofficial turnout figures from the Supervisor of Elections office.
Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said he expects turnout between 22% and 27% or perhaps higher.
“We’re expecting hopefully up near 30%,” he said. “But we’ll see.”
Seven names appear on GOP ballots, though all but Trump have bowed out. Besides the former president, who clinched the nomination last week, the former White House hopefuls are Ryan Binkley, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson and Vivek Ramaswamy.
“It’s a little bit unique that essentially all of the candidates except one has suspended their campaigns,” Earley said. “Usually that hasn’t happened when Florida’s holding their presidential preference primary. Even when there’s an incumbent in one party, there’s usually still some interest, some drama.”
But Earley noted that “there’s still a lot going on behind the scenes” between now and the national convention in July.
“The Republican Party I’m sure is still debating who’s going to be in which cabinet positions or vice presidential considerations,” he said. “So some of these candidates that are on the ballot, if they get some strong support, might be attractive that way.”
Earley said Vote-by-Mail numbers were “really strong” and that about two-thirds of Republican voters who asked for a mail ballot returned them to the elections office. Some 5,233 GOP voters have cast Vote-by-Mail ballots. Another 2,776 voted early.
Earley encouraged Republicans to get out and vote.
“It should be a beautiful day and there are no lines at the polls,” he said. “So if you haven’t voted yet and you’re a Republican in Leon County, get out there and vote. Keep your voting record at 100%.”
Voting going smoothly so far as Leon County sees light traffic at the polls
All 84 polling locations in Leon County opened on time this morning as Republicans across Florida head out to cast votes in person in their presidential preference primary.
“Everything actually went pretty smoothly, especially considering this is our first election of the year,” said Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley. “We got all the polls opened by 7 o’clock, which is always our primary goal.”
Traffic at the polls has been relatively light in the first hour or so of voting in the primary. Some 172 people have voted so far this morning. Earley said that he spoke to a number, but not all, of the precincts this morning and no voters were standing in line when the polls opened.
Total turnout, including early and Vote-by-Mail ballots, stood at 15.19% around 8 a.m. this morning, according to the elections office’s website, which updates in near real time.
Earley advised voters who still wish to cast Vote-by-Mail ballots not to mail them but rather to turn them in at the Supervisor of Elections Office, 2990-1 Apalachee Parkway. Vote-by-mail ballots must be turned in by 7 p.m. Voters who requested Vote-by-Mail ballots but haven’t turned them in and want to vote in person may still do so.
“As long as their record shows they haven’t voted by mail, they can vote normally,” he said.
As voting in Leon County begins, 13% of Republicans have voted statewide
When the polls opened on Tuesday morning, more than 748,000 voters (about half the population of Idaho) had already cast a ballot in the Florida Presidential Preference Primary.
Lee County appears to lead in voter participation, with more than 46,000 vote-by-mail and early-vote ballots already in – that’s about 20% of the total eligible voters in a county considered a Republican stronghold.
Unofficial returns show about 17% of voters in Sarasota County, 14% in Leon and 10% in Orange voted before Tuesday.
About 13% of registered Republicans statewide have voted.
Why is there no Democratic Primary?
The primary election is a little different for Florida voters due to its closed primaries. This means voters can only vote for a candidate to represent the party they are registered with.
In other words, if you’re a registered independent, you can’t vote for a Republican or Democratic candidate, and likewise, if you’re registered with another party, you are unable to vote for a candidate outside of that party.
The Florida Democratic Party nominated Joseph R. Biden Jr. in late 2023 as its only candidate and chose him for this November’s ballot, which bypassed the presidential preference ballot for voters registered with the Democratic Party. Longshot candidates criticized the decision.
That leaves the Republican contest, and all candidates except former President Donald Trump have withdrawn from the race.
Party officials expect a smooth election with a higher turnout down state where municipalities in nine counties are holding local elections.
Where you can vote and what you need to vote?
Polls opened at 7 a.m. in Leon County and will remain open until 7 p.m. local time. Ten Panhandle counties observe Central Standard Time and open and close an hour later than the rest of the state. If you are in line when the polls close you will be allowed to vote.
You must vote at the polling location listed on your voter registration card. Leon County voters can find their polling place here. Registered voters can also cast a ballot at the Leon County Election Center on Apalachee Parkway.
Florida requires an ID to vote in person, such as a Florida Driver License or ID card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. A United States Passport can also be used. A list of accepted forms of identification can be found here.
How to check if you’re registered to vote in Florida
Checking your voter registration status in Florida is an easy process. Here’s how to do it:
- Visit the Department of State website
- Enter your first and last name and your birthday
- Accept the terms of service by checking the option that says you “understand and agree”
- Submit your information
After submitting your information, you’ll see a form that provides your voter registration information. At the bottom, you’ll see your registration status, which will say either active or inactive.
Key dates for the elections on the horizon
Primary election
- Initial ballot mail-out to military and overseas voters: July 6
- Initial ballot mail-out to domestic voters: July 11 – 18
- Deadline to register to vote: July 22
- Deadline to request mail-in ballot: August 8
- Early voting period (mandatory period): Aug. 10 – 17
- Deadline to request that ballot be mailed: Aug. 8
- Election Day: Aug. 20
General election key dates
- Initial ballot mail-out to military and overseas voters: Sept. 21
- Initial ballot mail-out to domestic voters: Sept. 26 – Oct. 3
- Deadline to register to vote: Oct. 7
- Deadline to request that ballot be mailed: Oct. 24
- Early voting period (mandatory period): Oct. 26 – Nov. 2
- Election Day: Nov. 5
In the coming months, the Tallahassee Democrat and USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida will be producing national, state and local voter guides for the Aug. 20 primary and Nov. 5 general election. Find you guide to the Presidential Preference Primary here.
2024 Elections: Your guide to the 2024 elections
James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com and is on X as @CallTallahassee.