ORLANDO, Fla. – The Aug. 18 Florida Statewide Primary is where political party members (i.e., Democrats and Republicans) will decide who goes to the ballot in November elections.
But they’re not the only candidates on the ballot, and Central Florida’s election supervisors want to make sure every voter, whether you belong to a party or not, knows that.
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“Yes, the president is an important election. Yes, the governor is at the general, but they’re not the ones worrying about your potholes, your schools, your roadways, your stormwater issues,” said Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Amy Pennock.
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Pennock was one of six election supervisors who recently joined News 6 and other members of the News Collaborative of Central Florida for a wide-ranging discussion on election issues. Central Florida Public Media hosted the discussion.
Florida is a closed primary state, which means you must be registered with a political party to vote in any of that party’s primaries.
Voters who want to take part in one of the Aug. 18 party primaries have to make sure their party affiliation is updated by July 20. We’ve put all of that information HERE.
“We’re trying to get the message out that people who are not affiliated with the party still have a lot on the ballot,” said Orange County Supervisor Karen Castor Dentel. “We have a county mayor, we have county commission, and these are all nonpartisan races: school board, judicial, school board chair- some very consequential elections, and most of them will be determined in the primary.”
In addition, some Florida House of Representatives races will be decided in August in what are called “universal primaries,” said Osceola County Supervisor Mary Jane Arrington.
“These are races where there’s only one party running, and that selection will be made,” Arrington said. “And in the primary, House District 47, in Osceola County, will be a universal primary for every voter.”
Below is a list of every race that will be on a ballot in the Aug. 18 primary that will be open to all registered voters who are eligible to vote in that election, broken down by county.
Looking for more information on the candidates? That is on the way.
News 6 and its partners at the News Collaborative of Central Florida are working on a comprehensive voting guide with candidate information. Look for that guide in the coming weeks.
Orange County
Orange County is one of the counties that has a non-partisan county commission. All Orange County voters will see the county mayor’s race on their ballot, and if you live in one of five county commission districts, you will see that race on your ballot.
Voters will also see the Orange County School Chair race on their ballot, and if you live in school board districts 1, 2 or 3, that race will also be on your ballot.
Finally, circuit court and county judge races will also be on the ballot for all voters.
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your address.
Ninth Circuit Judge - Group 1
Ninth Circuit Judge - Group 2
Ninth Circuit Judge - Group 31
Orange County Mayor
Orange County Commission - District 2
Orange County Commission - District 4
- Isabella Arthur - Write-in
Orange County Commission - District 6
Orange County Commission - District 7
Orange County Commission - District 8
Orange County School Board Chair
Orange County School Board District 1
Orange County School Board District 2
Orange County School Board District 3
Orange County Judge - Group 5
Orange County Judge - Group 17
Osceola County
Osceola County’s commission elections are partisan, so they are closed primaries. But the county still has school board races and judges races on the ballot for all voters, as well as a Universal Primary.
The Florida House District 47 election will be open to all voters on Aug. 18. The incumbent Republican, Rep. Paula Stark, will not be on the ballot because of a paperwork issue, and the only other candidates are Democrats.
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Osceola County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your name and birthdate.
Florida House District 47 - Universal Primary
Ninth Circuit Judge - Group 1
Ninth Circuit Judge - Group 2
Ninth Circuit Judge - Group 31
Osceola County School Board District 1
Osceola County School Board District 3
Kissimmee City Commission Seat 2
Kissimmee City Commission Seat 4
Kissimmee Charter Amendment - Referendum Question 1
Shall the City Charter, Chapter 2, Section 2, be amended to revise the term limits for the Mayor-Commissioner and City Commissioners from two (2) consecutive four-year terms to three (3) consecutive four-year terms?
- Yes
- No
Kissimmee Charter Amendment - Referendum Question 2
Shall the City Charter, Chapter 2, City Commission, Section 7, be amended to require all candidates for elected office to consent to a background check to verify eligibility for office?
- Yes
- No
St. Cloud City Council Member Seat 5
Seminole County
Seminole County also doesn’t have nonpartisan county commission elections, but it does have school board races and judges elections. The City of Sanford is also having its mayoral race on Aug. 18.
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your name and birthdate.
18th Circuit Judge - Group 4
18th Circuit Judge - Group 13
Seminole County Court Judge Group 3
Seminole County Court Judge Group 6
Seminole County School Board District 1
Seminole County School Board District 2
Seminole County School Board District 5
City of Sanford Mayor
Brevard County
Brevard County has nonpartisan school board races, judicial elections and a universal primary for the Canaveral Port Authority, District 5. There are also elections in the cities of Palm Bay and Titusville.
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your name and birthdate.
18th Circuit Judge - Group 4
18th Circuit Judge - Group 13
Brevard County School Board - District 1
Brevard County School Board - District 2
Brevard County School Board - District 5
Brevard County Judge - Group 3
- Rodney Antonio Edwards
Canaveral Port Authority - District 5 Universal Primary
Palm Bay City Council - Seat 4
- Michael J. Bruyette
Palm Bay City Council - Seat 5
Titusville City Council -Seat 1
Titusville City Council -Seat 5
Volusia County
Volusia County has nonpartisan county council, school board and judicial races. It also has a bevy of city races that could be decided, including mayoral races in Deltona, Edgewater and Ormond Beach.
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Volusia County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your name and birthdate.
Seventh Circuit Judge - Group 26
Volusia County Council At Large
Volusia County Council District 1
Volusia County Council District 3
Volusia County School Board District 1
Volusia County School Board District 3
Volusia County School Board District 5
Daytona Beach City Commission Zone 3
- Quanita May
Daytona Beach City Commission Zone 5
- Willie F. Williams
Deltona Mayor
- Maritza A. Vazquez
Deltona City Commission District 6
Edgewater Mayor
Holly Hill City Commissioner District 2
New Smyrna Beach City Commissioner Zone 2
- Lou Pate
Ormond Beach Mayor
- Damien Curry
Ormond Beach City Commissioner Zone 1
- Alan Burton
Ormond Beach City Commissioner Zone 4
- Harold Briley
South Daytona City Council Seat 2
Flagler County
Flagler County has school board and judicial races that are nonpartisan, as are the Palm Coast City Council races.
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your name and birthdate.
Seventh Circuit Judge - Group 26
Flagler County School Board District 1
Flagler County School Board District 2
Flagler County School Board District 4
Palm Coast City Council - District 2
Palm Coast City Council - District 4
- John Kvederis
Lake County
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Lake County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your name and birthdate.
Fifth Circuit Judge - Group 27
Lake County School Board - District 1
Fruitland Park Commissioner - District 3
- Paige Booth
Groveland District 1, Mayor
- Judith Fike
- Keith “Chef” Keogh
- Dina Sweatt
Marion County
In addition to school board and judicial races, voters in Marion County may be eligible to vote in two Florida House races. The races for Districts 21 and 24 are universal primaries. Only Democrats qualified to run in District 21, while only Republicans qualified to run in District 24.
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Marion County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your name and birthdate.
Florida House District 21 -- Universal Primary
Florida House District 24 -- Universal Primary
Fifth Circuit Judge - Group 27
Marion County School Board - District 3
Marion County School Board - District 4
- Buddy Wyckoff
Marion County School Board - District 5
Sumter County
To see what will be on your ballot, go to the Sumter County Supervisor of Elections website HERE and look up your ballot using your name and birthdate.
Fifth Circuit Judge - Group 27
Sumter County School Board District 1
- Leslie Russell
Sumter County School Board District 3
- David A. Williams
Sumter County School Board District 5
- Michael Johnson
- Troye Joiner