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Voting in your state

Voting in Florida, 2026

Every date and deadline for the November 3 general election, from registering to the final certificate, and who signs off on the result.

Right nowEarly voting is open in Florida through Saturday, October 31.Election Day in 7 days

Every date, in order

  1. Mon, Oct 5 · passed
    Registration deadline
    Register by Monday October 5, 2026, 29 days before Election Day.1
  2. Thu, Oct 22 · passed
    Last day for mail ballot applications
    Vote-by-mail requests must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday October 22, 2026, 12 days before Election Day.1
  3. Sat, Oct 24 · passed
    Early voting begins
  4. Tue, Nov 3 · 7 days
    Election Day; Mail ballots must arrive
    Mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.1
  5. Mon, Nov 16 · 20 days
    County/Local canvass; County/Local certification
    County canvassing boards must file official returns by noon on the 13th day after the election, November 16.2
  6. Tue, Nov 17 · 21 days
    State canvass; State certification
    The statewide canvass takes place at 8:00 a.m. on the 14th day after the election, November 17.2
  7. After certification
    Deadline to contest the result
    A contest must be filed within 10 days after the last board responsible for the results certifies them, and a legislative seat can only be contested in the chamber it belongs to.3

Questions people ask about voting in Florida

Q. When does early voting end in Florida?

Early voting runs at least from Saturday October 24 through Saturday October 31, 2026, and some counties add more days.

Q. When is the deadline to register to vote in Florida?

Register by Monday October 5, 2026, 29 days before Election Day.

Q. What is the last day to request a mail ballot in Florida?

Vote-by-mail requests must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday October 22, 2026, 12 days before Election Day.

Q. When does my mail ballot have to arrive in Florida?

Mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Q. Who certifies the election in Florida, and by when?

The county canvassing board, made up of the supervisor of elections, a county court judge and the chair of the county commission, counts mail ballots, rules on provisional ballots, certifies the county results and reports them to the state. County canvassing boards must file their results by noon on November 16, 2026, the 13th day after the election. The Elections Canvassing Commission, made up of the Governor and two Cabinet members the Governor selects, compiles the county results and certifies them. The Elections Canvassing Commission meets at 8 a.m. on November 17, 2026, the 14th day after the election, to certify the results.

Q. What happens after the count in Florida, and when is there a recount?

County returns must reach the Department of State no later than noon on the 13th day after the general election, November 16, 2026. Returns not received by then are ignored and the Department certifies the results on file at that time. If returns are not received because of an emergency as defined in Fla. Stat. 101.732, the Elections Canvassing Commission determines the deadline (Fla. Stat. 102.112(3) and (4)).

Q. How long is there to contest an election in Florida?

A contest must be filed within 10 days after the last board responsible for the results certifies them, and a legislative seat can only be contested in the chamber it belongs to.

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Sources

  1. Vote.org, Florida Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/florida/
  2. NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
  3. NCSL, Contested Election Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/contested-election-deadlines
  4. NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
  5. Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
  6. NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines

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