The UP’s guide for voting in the general election
As tensions rise over which Democratic and Republican candidates will be elected to the White House on Nov. 5 for the United States general election, voters will encounter more on the ballot than just the presidential nominees. Voters will also see questions about ballot measures, such as amendments, as well as votes for federal and state offices in Florida.
The registration period for this election closed on Oct. 7. If registered, you can vote in several ways: Early Voting, Vote-by-Mail or on Election Day — where the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Your Voter Information Card will list your precinct and designated polling location, which you can verify at this site. According to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, you can vote at any Early Voting site as an eligible registered voter in Palm Beach County. Early voting started on Oct. 21 and runs through Nov. 3. You can also book an appointment, but it’s not required.
The Vote-by-Mail deadline to request a ballot for the 2024 General Election was Oct. 24. Ballots can be shipped by mail using pre-paid postage, returned at any Early Voting locations or to one of the four election offices during office hours. You must mail your filled-out ballot up to a week before Election Day, or also can drop it off in secure drop boxes at the Supervisor of Elections’ main and branch offices. The final deadline to return the ballot is 7 p.m. on Election Day. You can also track your ballot.
Before you head to the polls, bring one or two forms of valid and current identification, including your signature and photo, regardless of which method you use to vote.
If you are voting by mail or physically filling in the ballot, you must fill in the oval next to your choice completely, using only a black ballpoint pen according to a sample ballot. If you need to correct a mistake, request a new ballot and refrain from crossing out your previous selection, or your vote may not count. To vote for a write-in candidate, fill in the oval and print the name clearly on the blank line.
Generally during Early Voting and on Election Day, a poll worker will check you in with the Electronic Voter Identification (EViD) device. You will then receive a paper ballot. Voters insert their ballot into the ExpressVote machine, where they can answer questions electronically. After completing this process, the machine will print out the ballot with the recorded responses. The voter will then take their ballot to the DS200 precinct scanner for counting, as outlined on the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections website.
Keep in mind, that the details may vary depending on your precinct or voting district. You can request your ballot in advance to see the candidates specific to your district before you vote. The following information was obtained from several sample ballots and displays the options to vote for in this year’s general election.
President and Vice President
Republican Party (REP): Donald J. Trump and JD Vance
Democratic Party (DEM): Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz
Libertarian Party of Florida (LPF): Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat
Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL): Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia
Constitution Party of Florida (CPF): Randall Terry and Stephen E. Broden
American Solidarity Party (ASP): Peter Sonski and Lauren Onak
Green Party of Florida (GPF): Jill Stein and Rudolph Ware
U.S Senator
REP: Rick Scott
LPF: Feena Bonoan
No Party Affiliation (NPA): Tuan “TQ” Nguyen
NPA: Ben Everidge
Representative in Congress
The candidates for Representative in Congress in Florida vary by precinct.
State Attorney, 15th Judicial Circuit
REP: Sam Stern
DEM: Alexcia Cox
NPA: Adam Farkas
State Representative
The candidates for state representative positions vary depending on the precinct.
Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
REP: Samuel L. Thompson
DEM: Joseph Abruzzo
Sheriff
REP: Michael Gauger
DEM: Ric L. Bradshaw
Supervisor of Elections
REP: Jeff Buongiorno
DEM: Wendy Sartory Link
Justice of the Supreme Court
Shall Justice Renatha Francis of the Supreme Court be retained in office? Yes or no.
Shall Justice Meredith Sasso of the Supreme Court be retained in office? Yes or no.
Fourth District Court of Appeal
Shall Judge Burton C. Conner of the Fourth District Court of Appeal be retained in office? Yes or no.
Shall Judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz of the Fourth District Court of Appeal be retained in office? Yes or no.
County Court Judge Group 2
Lourdes Casanova or Jean Marie Middleton.
School Board
The candidates for the school board vary depending on the designated district.
Amendments
The following information is from the Ballotpedia ballot measures section that provides an overview of the “Yes /No Summaries” of the amendments.
No. 1 Constitutional Amendment Article IX, Section 4 and Article XII – Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards:
A “yes” vote supports making school board elections partisan beginning in the November 2026 general election and for primary elections nominating party candidates for the 2026 election.
A “no” vote opposes making school board elections partisan, thereby maintaining current procedures where school board members are elected in a nonpartisan election.
No. 2 Constitutional Amendment Article I, Section 28 – Right to Fish and Hunt:
A “yes” vote supports establishing a constitutional right to hunt and fish in Florida.
A “no” vote opposes establishing a constitutional right to hunt and fish in Florida.
No. 3 Constitutional Amendment Article X, Section 29 – Adult Personal Use of Marijuana:
A “yes” vote supports legalizing marijuana for adults 21 years old and older, and allowing individuals to possess up to three ounces of marijuana.
A “no” vote opposes legalizing marijuana for adult use in Florida.
No. 4 Constitutional Amendment Article I, New Section – Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion:
A “yes” vote supports adding the following language to the Florida Constitution’s Declaration of Rights: “… no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” Amendment 4 would maintain the current constitutional provision that permits a law requiring parents to be notified before a minor can receive an abortion.
A “no” vote opposes amending the Florida Constitution’s Declaration of Rights to provide that the state cannot “… prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
No. 5 Constitutional Amendment Article VII, Section 6 and Article XII – Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemptions:
A “yes” vote supports an annual inflation adjustment to the amount of assessed value that is exempt from property taxation.
A “no” vote opposes an annual inflation adjustment to the amount of assessed value that is exempt from property taxation.
No. 6 Constitutional Amendment Article VI, Section 7 – Repeal of Public Campaign Financing Requirement:
This amendment would remove the rule that allows candidates for statewide office to get public funds for their campaigns if they agree to spending limits. Supporters argue that tax money shouldn’t go to political campaigns and should be used for public needs like education. Opponents believe keeping the rule helps candidates with less money compete, making elections fairer.
A “yes” vote means you support stopping public funding for these campaigns and a “no” vote means you want to keep the current system of public campaign funding.
County Question 1: Palm Beach County Schools security, technology, facilities and infrastructure one-half cent sales surtax.
The ballot states “To support educational opportunities for students by upgrading and enhancing safety and security of schools; classroom technology and equipment, school buildings and facilities, and school buses, for Palm Beach County traditional public and charter public schools; shall the School Board levy a one-half cent sales surtax beginning January 1, 2026 and, by law, automatically ending December 31, 2035, with oversight of all funds by an independent committee of citizens and experts?”
Voters can choose “For the one-half cent tax” or “Against the one-half cent tax.”
Michael Cook is the News Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email michael17cook@gmail.com.
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