When are elections and how often are elections?
Florida holds three main types of elections: federal, state, and municipal.
Federal Elections
Federal elections determine national leadership:
President: Elected for a four-year term with elections being held in 2024, 2028, 2032 and so on.
Senators: Each state has two Senators, elected for six-year terms. One of the senate seats from Florida is up for election in 2028 and the other in 2030.
Members of the House of Representatives: All members are elected every 2 years. The number of Representatives per state is based on population. Florida currently has 28 Representatives.
Federal elections are held in even-numbered years and take place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
State Elections
State elections cover positions within Florida’s state government:
Florida House of Representatives: Members are elected every two years.
Florida Senate: Senators are elected every four years.
Statewide Offices: Includes Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Chief Financial Officer. All are elected every four years.
State elections are held in even-numbered years.
Municipal Elections
In municipal elections, voters vote mainly on a variety of local positions including sheriff, mayor, Supervisor of Elections, etc. These elections are held on both even and odd years.
Whether it is a federal, state, or municipal election, each election has its own primary and general election.
Primary Election
There are two types of primary elections: Presidential Preference Primary Elections and all other primary elections.
Presidential Preference Primary Election: This election determines the nominee for the two major political parties (Democratic and Republican). Only registered party members can vote in this primary. For example, Democrats vote for their preferred Democratic candidate, and Republicans vote for their preferred Republican candidate.
Primary Elections for Other Races: Held on the Tuesday 11 weeks before the General Election. Similar to the Presidential Preference Primary election, voters select their party's candidates for the general election. Individuals without party affiliations can only vote for non-partisan positions such as judges and school board officials.
General Election
In the general election, voters vote on who they think should win each position. The candidates in this race are the people who won their party’s primary. All registered voters can participate, regardless of party affiliation, and can vote for candidates from any party.
This election is held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
