Monday Is the Last Day to Register for the Aug. 18 Primary
Deadline to register or change party affiliation is July 20; most Monroe County races will be decided in the primary.
KEY WEST, Fla. — Monday is the last day to register to vote or change your party affiliation before the Aug. 18 primary election — and in the Florida Keys, most races on the ballot will be decided that day.
The book-closing deadline is July 20. After that, no new registrations or party changes will take effect in time for the primary.
Florida is a closed primary state, meaning voters can cast ballots only in the primary of the party with which they are registered.
But several Monroe County races this cycle have triggered an important exception: where only one party’s candidates qualified and no opposition-party candidate filed, the primary is open to all registered voters regardless of affiliation.
Every registered voter in Monroe County — Republican, Democrat, independent or third-party — can vote in the following races:
COUNTYWIDE
Monroe County Commission, District 2: Michelle Lincoln (R, incumbent) vs. George Lopez (R)
— Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board, District 2: Phil Goodman vs. Alex Osborne
— Monroe County School Board, District 1: Darren Horan (incumbent) vs. Teri Axford (nonpartisan)
— Monroe County School Board, District 5: Sue Woltanski (incumbent) vs. Chelyn Shaw (nonpartisan)
CITY OF KEY WEST
Key West (all nonpartisan; all registered Key West voters eligible)
— Mayor: Danise Henriquez (incumbent) vs. Samuel Kaufman
— City Commission, District II: Bobi Lore vs. Mark Rossi
— City Commission, District IV: Sarah Compton vs. Wayne Garcia vs. Juan Llera
— City Commission, District V: Chris Massicotte vs. Gregory Sullivan
In the three-way District IV race, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers advance to a November runoff. The other Key West races will be decided in the primary.
The primary ballot also includes statewide partisan contests for governor, state Cabinet offices, U.S. Senate and congressional and state legislative seats. Only voters registered with a political party may vote in those races.
HOW TO REGISTER
Floridians can register online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov. You will need a valid Florida driver’s license or state ID card number and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
You can also register in person or update your record at the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections offices:
Monroe County Supervisor of Elections offices (all open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.):
Key West (main office) — 5200 College Road, Key West (Stock Island), FL 33040; 305-292-3416
Marathon (branch office) — 10015 Overseas Hwy. (MM 52.5), Marathon; 305-289-6017
Key Largo (branch office) — Murray Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Hwy., Suite 137 (MM 102), Key Largo; 305-453-8740
Website: www.votemonroeflkeys.gov
Paper registration forms are available at the supervisor’s office, local libraries and tax collector offices. For more information visit votemonroeflkeys.gov.
KEY DATES
July 20: Voter registration and party-change deadline
Aug. 3-15: Early voting at the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections office, daily 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Aug. 6: Deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot
Aug. 18: Primary Election Day, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voters who have already requested mail ballots should have received them. Completed mail ballots must be returned to the Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
To check your registration status, visit RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov and select “Am I Already Registered?”