FL 2024 Republican Presidential Primary: How To Vote March 19

FLORIDA — Only registered Republican voters will take to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballot in Florida’s Presidential Preference Primary election, which should cement former President Donald Trump's hold on the party nomination. Democrats in the state decided to only place President Joe Biden's name on the ballot, skipping a primary in the Sunshine State.

Because Florida is a closed primary election state, only those registered as a Republican in the Sunshine State can vote for their preferred party nominee in the 2024 presidential race on March 19.

As of Monday morning, 730,707 Republicans had already voted in Tuesday’s primary, according to Florida’s Division of Elections. Of these votes, 510,317 cast their ballot by mail while 220,390 voted early.

Despite millions in campaign donations and months spent campaigning in first-caucus state Iowa, Gov. Ron DeSantis saw his presidential aspirations frozen. He dropped out of the race two days ahead of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation Republican primary after he lost the Iowa caucuses — which he had vowed to win — by 30 percentage points to Trump.

DeSantis entered the 2024 presidential contest with a $100 million war chest and early primary polls suggesting he was a strong challenger to Trump's bid for another term. The governor had a significant legislative record on issues important to many conservatives, like abortion and the teaching of race and gender issues in schools.

But, Trump went after the governor in the months leading up to DeSantis' May announcement and continued to pound him on the campaign trail, on social media and in paid advertising for months. DeSantis struggled to connect with voters on a personal level on the campaign trail in Iowa and New Hampshire, with uncomfortable interactions with voters caught on camera.

Here's everything you need to know about voting Tuesday in Florida.

Who’s on the Ballot?

Democrats and independent voters can only vote in the handful of municipal elections taking place Tuesday. Search for local races in your Florida county or city here.

Leaders in the Florida Democratic Party decided in the fall to place only current President Joe Biden’s name on the March 19 ballot, forgoing a presidential primary race for the party, according to the Florida Phoenix. State law says that if a party has just one presidential candidate, that candidate’s name won’t go on the ballot.

Former President Donald Trump is the only major candidate still in the running for the Republican primary after others suspended their campaigns in recent months. Despite dropping out of the race, some of their names may still appear on the ballot.

Those who initially qualified to run for president as a Republican in Florida as of the Nov. 30 deadline, according to the Florida Department of State, were:

• Ryan L. Binkley
• Doug Burgum
• Chris Christie
• Ron DeSantis
• Nikki R. Haley
• Asa Hutchinson
• Vivek Ramaswamy
• Donald J. Trump

Christie, former New Jersey governor, dropped out of the 2024 presidential race in early January.
Moments before he announced he was leaving the race, a hot mic caught him disparaging other Republican candidates, the New York Times reported.

“She’s going to get smoked, and you and I both know it,” he said in a reference to Haley, the former South Carolina governor. “She’s not up to this.”

He added that Florida’s Gov. “DeSantis called me, petrified.”

DeSantis dropped out of the race Jan. 21, days after he lost the Iowa caucuses.

"I can't ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don't have a clear path to victory," DeSantis said in a video posted to social media.

Haley was the last to leave the Republican race March 6 after Trump swept Super Tuesday primaries, including in her home state. She did win the primaries in the District of Columbia and Vermont, becoming the first woman to win a GOP primary.

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• Nikki Haley To Suspend Campaign; Trump Now Last Major GOP Candidate
• Judge Rejects Bid By Donald Trump To Throw Out Classified Docs Case
• Biden Raises $6.2 Million During Miami Fundraising Event

How to Vote in the Florida Primary

Before heading to the polls in Florida Tuesday, voters can check their voter registration and voter status here.

Voters unsure of where to cast their ballot can search for their polling place by county here.

The polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. Any voters waiting in line at 7 p.m. will still have the opportunity to cast a ballot.

Primary results will start to be reported after the polls have closed and votes have been counted.

When voting on Election Day, voters must bring a current and valid photo ID with their signature, according to the Department of State. The following photo IDs will be accepted at the polls:

• Florida driver’s license;
• Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles;
• U.S. passport;
• Debit or credit card;
• Military identification;
• Student identification;
• Retirement center identification;
• Neighborhood association identification;
• Public assistance identification;
• Veteran health identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;
• License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to s. 790.06l; or
• Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal government, the state, a county, or a municipality.

If your photo ID does not include your signature, you will be asked to provide another ID that has your signature.

Those who don’t bring proper ID can still vote via a provisional ballot. As long as you are eligible and voted in the proper precinct, your provisional ballot will count provided the signature on your provisional ballot matches the signature in your registration record.

This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.