Primary Elections
Florida is a closed primary state. The voter registration books close 29-days before a primary election and a voter may not change his or her party affiliation during this time. In a partisan primary election, only voters who are registered members of a political party that will have candidates on the primary election ballot may vote for that party’s candidates in the election.
The Lee County Elections Office will accept a voter registration application when the registrations books are closed for a primary election to update a voter registration record. However, an application for a new registration or a request for a party change that is received during the 29-day period the registration books are closed for the primary election, will not be effective until after the election.
Voters without a party affiliation are not eligible to vote for party candidates in a primary election, except when:
- All candidates in the same race have the same party affiliation, and the winner will have no opposition in the general election, known as a Universal Primary Contest
- nonpartisan offices, such as judicial and school board, appear on the primary election ballot
- other nonpartisan local offices appear on the primary election ballot
- referendum questions appear on the primary election ballot
General Elections
In a general election, a voter may vote on the candidates and referendums that appear on his or her specific ballot regardless of party affiliation. The Lee County Elections Office will accept a voter registration application, when the voter registrations books are closed for a general election, to update a voter registration record. However, an application for a new registration that is received during the 29-day period the registration books are closed for the general election, will not be effective until after the election.