Friday, June 14 is the deadline for candidates who want to qualify to run for office in the 2024 elections in Florida.
That means candidates for state senator, state representative, multi-county office, and special district must submit their paperwork by noon today in order to be on the ballot.
University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett said in Florida, even write-in candidates, must file by Friday.
“Now of course, every year sometimes people just write in a silly name, you know, Mickey Mouse or Batman or something on their ballot, as a write-in. But in Florida, unlike a lot of other states, we actually require people who want to officially be a write-in candidate to actually go and register by the filing deadline,” Jewett said.
When it comes to the 2024 elections, Jewett said this is when races start to heat up, in a crowded field, like the race for Senator Rick Scott’s seat which garnered more than a dozen challengers.
Or races fizzle out.
“So for instance, if only one candidate from one party filed for an office, then under the Florida Constitution, that actually would become an open primary until all voters would be able to participate rather than just voters of one party. So for a variety of reasons, it's actually a pretty important deadline when we're talking about filing for running for office,” Jewett said.
This year, Floridians will vote for president, federal, state and local offices, along with several amendments that could legalize marijuana and enshrine abortion rights in the state.
Here’s the important deadlines for Florida voters: The deadline to register or change party affiliation is July 22, 2024. The deadline to register for the 2024 general election is October 7, 2024.
In order to be eligible to become a registered voter in the state of Florida you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States of America;
- Be a legal resident of Florida;
- Be a legal resident of the county in which you seek to be registered;
- Be at least 16 years old to preregister or at least 18 years old to register and vote;
- Not be a person who has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored; and
- Not be a person convicted of a felony without having your right to vote restored
Use this link now, to register to vote in the fall elections.
