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UpdateFloridaTuesday, November 3, 2026

Florida voters headed to polls with 5.4 million early and mail votes cast

What happened on Election Day and where early voting and mail-in ballots stood.

By the Democracy SENTRY deskPublished

Reporting by
Tallahassee Democrat
“See latest count for early voting, mail-in as Florida voters head to polls”, Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Read the full story
What happened

Florida voters headed to polls on Election Day, November 3, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. More than 5.4 million people had already voted early or by mail as of 8 a.m., representing nearly 40 percent of the state's 13.7 million registered voters. Republicans held a slight edge in early voting totals while more Democrats had returned mail-in ballots.1

Voters still holding mail-in ballots were urged to drop them at a designated elections office drop box before polls close.1

5.4 million
people who had voted early or by mail as of 8 a.m. on Election Day1
13.7 million
registered voters in Florida1
nearly 40 percent
share of registered voters who had already voted1
What it means in Florida

What voters needed to know on Election Day

Mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.2 County canvassing boards must file official returns by noon on the 13th day after the election, November 16.3

Key dates in Florida

Election Day in -6 days
  1. Mon, Oct 5 · passed
    Registration deadline
  2. Thu, Oct 22 · passed
    Last day for mail ballot applications
  3. Sat, Oct 24 · passed
    Early voting begins
  4. Sat, Oct 31 · passed
    Early voting ends
  5. Tue, Nov 3 · passed
    Election Day; Mail ballots must arrive
  6. Tue, Nov 17 · 8 days
    State certification

Every date in Florida, and who certifies the election

More on this story
Florida · Nov 2
Hillsborough County prepared polling sites for Tuesday election
Reporting by ABC Action News (WFTS)
Florida · Nov 1
Florida outlet advised voters what to do with unreturned mail ballots
Reporting by WKMG
The answers behind this
Mail and early votingVoting in Florida, 2026Who certifies the election in Florida, and by when?When does a mail ballot have to arrive to count?

Explore this issue

OverviewUpdates In depthFederal monitors observed polling sites in Lansing, Michigan In depthBexar County reports over 82,000 votes cast on Election Day In depthBexar County on pace for 150,000 Election Day voters In depthCuyahoga County reported nearly 50% turnout in 2026 Ohio midterm In depthDes Moines Register posts live 2026 election results for Iowa counties In depthDelaware County, Ohio, held elections on November 3, 2026 In depthNAACP and others deployed poll watchers in Michigan midterm election In depthArizona counted votes in midterm election for Governor and Congress In depthLong lines reported at Maricopa County vote centers on Election Day In depthOver 35,000 voted in Scott County, Iowa on Election Day In depthDemocrat Kathy Castor won reelection in redrawn Florida District 14 In depthBallot shortages reported in Dearborn, Michigan

Sources

  1. Tallahassee Democrat, https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0wFBVV95cUxOSWdUcDhEZTFjbFlnTUtFcVpMSVRhNkRjLTlqSVpsa3BCYWI4R2FvVml4ZEh5d2tEeGZkU3pqeTJlRWZhbGE0UThqSmdUUF8wNUt5VjctN1BDSlVPOUZCY25ZdFhMbHFleERNWXpDYTdqMnFPWkkxVWp4Y3U2NC0tSTNjZ0FoVzVQMmN5VDFwLTY4Rm9NOElGNk1WNWMxWFF2N2VLNXlDeHBiQTduREc1Nk9nU1BOQlF3YnhiNUVQRXRaMEsyTWZsNGdpYmJsbXVIaFhZ?oc=5 · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
  2. Vote.org, Florida Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/florida/
  3. NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines

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