Alachua County voters will cast their ballots Aug. 18 in the Primary Election, with key local races, including Gainesville mayor and Alachua County Commission District 2, on the ballot.
As of 6 p.m. Aug. 18, the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections turnout tracker reported that 42,336 of the county’s 164,853 active eligible voters had cast ballots, resulting in an unofficial turnout of more than 25%. Of the 42,336 ballots counted, 15,514 were received by mail and 11,682 were cast during early voting.
Voter turnout breakdown by party affiliation:
Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Kim Barton told The Sun on Aug. 17 that voters casting their ballots in person must be registered to vote and present a current, valid photo ID that includes their signature.
Barton said the Primary Election will also determine party nominees for state and federal offices, including races such as governor and U.S. senator.
However, when it comes to universal primary elections, Barton said registered voters in the district, regardless of political party registration, can cast a ballot for local elections like the County Commission District 2 and State House District 21 races.
Barton also reminded voters that Gainesville residents who live within city limits may vote only in city elections, including races for mayor, District 2 commissioner and District 3 commissioner.
Voters who are unsure which district they live in can use the Voter Information Lookup tool on the Supervisor of Elections website. The elections office also advises residents to verify their polling location before Election Day, as some elections use polling places that differ from regular voting locations.
Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. Aug. 18 to be counted.
Polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 18. According to the Florida Department of State Division of Elections, any voter waiting in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot.
The state lists the following acceptable forms of identification:
Residents with questions about voting or Primary Election Day procedures can contact the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office at 352-374-5252 or visit votealachua.gov.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Primary Election Day in Alachua County is here. What you need to know.
Reporting by Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
