TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The citizens of the United States will soon determine who will be running for the presidency as Nov. 5, Election Day, approaches.
Below is some key information on what to know if you decide to do your civic duty as a registered voter.
The Presidential race
The big ticket item across the nation is the U.S. presidency as Republican candidate and former president Donald Trump and Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris face off to be the next commander-in-chief.
Both candidates are making their final push in swing states this week to get enough electoral votes to win the seat.
Trump planned a stop in Atlanta for a rally on Monday, Oct. 28 — just a day after a controversial rally in New York City which drew criticism over racist and crude rhetoric from its speakers, including comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who made a joke calling Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.”
Harris, on the other hand, is making stops in Michigan to court voters in the battleground state on the same day.
Florida races to watch
As for Florida itself, several U.S. legislative seats are up for grabs, Rick Scott’s senate seat being one of them.
Scott is running for re-election to represent the state of Florida in the U.S. Senate. If he wins, Scott plans on running to be the Senate Republican leader when Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, steps down.
His Democratic opponent is former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who represented Florida’s 26th congressional district. Mucarsel-Powell is running on platforms of reducing inflation and healthcare costs, protecting access to clean water and the environment, and access to reproductive healthcare.
As for the U.S. House, eyes are on Florida’s 13th District where Republican incumbent Anna Paulina-Luna and Democratic candidate Whitney Fox are expected to have a close race, according to recent polling.
Florida Amendments on the ballot
There are currently six ballot amendments on the 2024 general election ballot, but the two that have generated the most media attention have been Amendments 3 and 4.
Amendment 3 will allow Floridians to decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana in the Sunshine State for those 21 and older, although there would be limits on how much you can have for personal use.
Amendment 4 would allow Floridians to decide to allow abortions up to viability, the state when healthcare professionals determine the fetus can survive outside the woman, and allow abortions when it is necessary to protect the life of the mother.
For a comprehensive explanation of all six amendments, click here.
Am I eligible to vote?
Unlike the primary, you can vote for whomever you want in the Florida general election, regardless of your registered party affiliation.
To be an eligible voter, you have to be a Florida resident and U.S. citizen at or over 18 years of age. You also cannot vote if you are a felon (unless your rights were restored) or if you had been “adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state.”
The deadline for voter registration was Oct. 7, 2024.
Early Voting
Early voting began for Tampa Bay on Oct. 21. Those who choose to vote before Election Day can go to any early voting location designated by their county.
A complete list of local early voting locations can be found here.
Voting in person on Election Day
Polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Tampa Bay. Voters who get in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote, but those who arrive afterward will not.
To vote, you must have one or two forms of photo ID, which must have your signature. These can include:
- Florida Driver License
- Florida ID Card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- U.S. Passport
- Debit or Credit Card
- Military ID
- Student ID
- Retirement Center ID
- Neighborhood Association ID
- Public Assistance ID
- Veteran Health ID (issued by VA)
- Concealed Weapon License (issued pursuant to s. 790.06)
- Government Employee ID
Those without ID can vote with a provisional ballot, which will be evaluated by the canvassing board.
How to find your voter precinct
Not sure where to go to vote? Look up your precinct on your county’s Supervisor of Elections website.
You can find links for each county on the Florida Division of Elections website.
Vote-by-Mail
To vote by mail, you had to request a ballot on the 12th day before the election, but you can turn it in at any time before 7 p.m. on Election Day.
However, if you are mailing your ballot, it is recommended that you send it at least a week before Election Day to ensure that it will be counted. Your local supervisor of elections office website should have a way to check to make sure it was counted.
Alternatively, you can drop it off at your local supervisor of elections offices or secure drop boxes in your counties.
News Channel 8 is Your Local Election Headquarters: We have you covered in the Tampa Bay counties holding elections this year.
