Guest commentary: Looking to the next elections this year
With the March Presidential Preference Primary Election officially over, we now look to the next major elections of 2024: the Aug. 20 Primary Election and the Nov. 5 General Election.
As always, I encourage you to be election-ready. Ensure your voter registration is up-to-date with our office; this includes your name, address, signature and party affiliation.
Your party affiliation is especially important for the primary election because Florida is a closed primary state. To vote in partisan contests in a primary election, you must be registered with one of the two major political parties.
If you are registered as an Independent, a minor party or no party affiliation, you can only vote on nonpartisan races that may appear on your ballot. If you wish to change your party for a primary election, you must do so at least 29 days before that election.
If you plan on voting by mail, it is important to remember that you need to renew your request after every general election. If you have not requested a Vote-by-Mail Ballot since the last general election in 2020, you must submit your request again by calling our office at 239-533-8683 or online at www.lee.vote.
This year is expected to be a busy hurricane season. Requesting a Vote-by-Mai Ballot for the upcoming elections is an insurance policy in the event you cannot make it to the polls.
Please reach out to our office with any questions or concerns. My staff and I are your trusted source for election information and are always happy to help.
Tommy Doyle is the Lee County Supervisor of Elections. For more information, visit https://www.lee.vote/ or call 239-533-8683.