Palm Beach County voters are on the clock: The deadline to register to vote in the Aug. 20 primary election is Monday, July 22.
Voters will weigh in on who should fill 15 local offices and in some cases, narrow the candidate field for the general election on Nov. 5. A U.S. Senate seat, three seats in the House of Representatives, Palm Beach County's sheriff, and two school board seats are among the offices up for grabs this year.
Some local races are non-partisan, meaning voters of any party can vote in the election as long as they live in the area or district being decided. Others are partisan races, meaning candidates declare a political party and only voters registered with that party can vote in the primary election. The purpose of a primary in a partisan race is to determine which candidate of a single party will represent the party in the general election in November.
Don't delay in registering to vote, requesting a mail-in ballot, and reviewing the candidates. Here's what to know about the Aug. 20 primaries:
How to register to vote in Palm Beach County
Visit registertovoteflorida.gov/home and begin the process in English or Spanish.
You will need your Florida driver license or Florida identification card, the date the ID was issued and the last four digits of your social security number to fill out the application form.
Fill out the form with your information as it appears on your ID card. The application may be submitted online or will produce a pre-filled application for you to mail if needed.
Deadline to register to vote in Palm Beach County
Deadline to register or change party affiliation for 2024 Primary Election: July 22, 2024
Deadline to register for 2024 General Election: October 7, 2024
Candidates, offices up for election in Aug. 20 primary
The following offices are up for election in August:
- U.S. Senate: Florida Senator
- U.S. House of Representatives: District 21 (Northern Palm Beach County), District 22 (Southern Palm Beach County) and District 23 (Southern Palm Beach County)
- State House: District 89 (Lake Worth area), District 94 (western Palm Beach County)
- Palm Beach County State Attorney
- Palm Beach County Sheriff
- Palm Beach County Public Defender
- Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee
- Palm Beach County Commissioners: District 7 (Riviera Beach, central Palm Beach County and Delray Beach)
- Port of Palm Beach: Group 2
- Palm Beach County Judge: Group 2
- Palm Beach County School Board: District 1 (Jupiter) and District 5 (Boca Raton)
- Ballot question regarding the economic ad valorem tax exemption program
Not all of the above races will be on your ballot. Use the Supervisor of Elections website to see your personalized sample ballot based on your party affiliation and where you live.
Check the Palm Beach Post's website for more information on candidates and the endorsem*nts of the editorial board.
How to vote in Palm Beach County Aug. 20 primary election
- Vote by mail: Voters can request a ballot be mailed to them to be filled out at home and returned by mail or to any of the Supervisor of Elections' four offices. Mail-in ballots must be requested by the voter by 5 p.m. on Aug. 8 for the Aug. 20 primary.
- Early voting: Any eligible registered voter in Palm Beach County can vote in any of the early voting sites we have open. Early voting differs from election day voting because, on election day, you must vote in the polling place assigned to your precinct.
- Vote on election day: On election day, you must vote at the polling place that is assigned to your precinct. Your precinct and polling place is printed on your Voter Information Card and available online.
How to request mail-in ballot for Aug. 20 primary election in Palm Beach County
Voters can request mail-in ballots online at www.votepalmbeach.gov/Voters/Vote-By-Mail.
You can also request a mail-in ballot by phone at (561) 656-6208, by fax at (561) 656-6230 or by visiting any of the four offices of the Supervisor of Elections, located at:
- Main office: 4301 Cherry Road, West Palm Beach, FL
- North County office: 3188 PGA Blvd. Room #2401 Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- West County office: 2976 State Road #15, Second Floor, Belle Glade, FL
- South County office: 345 S. Congress Avenue Room #103 Delray Beach, FL
How to check voter registration in Palm Beach County
Want to make sure you're registered?
Visit registertovoteflorida.gov/home to check the status of your voter registration and vote-by-mail requests.
Katherine Kokal is a journalist covering education at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at kkokal@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today!
