ALACHUA COUNTY – Alachua County voters have until 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the Aug. 18 Primary Election, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Voters may request a ballot online, by phone, mail, fax or in person. Election officials said requests will continue to be processed as they are received until the deadline.
Florida operates under a closed primary system, meaning voters registered with a political party generally may vote only in that party’s primary contests. However, this year’s ballot includes two Universal Primary Contests that are open to a broader group of voters.
The race for Alachua County Commission District 2 will appear on all ballots regardless of party affiliation.
The contest for Florida House District 21 also will appear on the ballots of all voters who reside within House District 21, regardless of party affiliation.
A Universal Primary Contest occurs when all candidates seeking an office belong to the same political party and the winner will face no opposition in the General Election. Under Florida law, those contests are opened to all eligible voters within the affected jurisdiction.
In addition to those races, all registered voters may cast ballots in nonpartisan contests and ballot issues, regardless of party affiliation.
The deadline to change or declare a political party affiliation for the primary election passed on July 20.
Election officials reminded voters returning ballots by mail that completed domestic vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, Election Day. Because ballots must arrive by the deadline—not simply be postmarked—officials encourage voters to mail them at least one week before the election.
The Supervisor of Elections Office also advises voters to verify that their voter registration information and signature are current before returning a ballot, particularly if they have moved or their signature has changed.
Completed vote-by-mail ballots may be delivered during regular business hours to the Supervisor of Elections Office, located on the third floor of the County Administration Building, 515 N. Main Street in Gainesville. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Secure ballot intake stations also will be available during the early voting period. From Aug. 7 through Aug. 15, voters may return completed mail ballots at any of the county’s eight early voting locations between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
On Aug. 16 and Aug. 17, ballot drop-off will be available only at the Supervisor of Elections Office from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Election Day, Aug. 18, the secure ballot intake station at the Supervisor of Elections Office will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
A complete list of early voting locations and additional election information is available at VoteAlachua.gov or by calling the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office at 352-374-5252.
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