Having begun on August 10th and ending last Sunday, voters used either vote-by-mail or early voting ballots, with about 14.2% of registered Florida voters already having submitted their ballots, according to state data.

Compared with data gathered by the state since 2014, 2026’s election year ranks lower in early voting turnout for Florida primaries, with 1,913,737 ballots cast thus far.

Provided below are the mid-term cycles recorded for vote-by-mail, early voting, and the combined totals:

2018

  • Vote-by-mail—1,351,185
  • Early voting—661,891
  • Total—2,013,076

2022

  • Vote-by-mail—1,745,386
  • Early voting—613,864
  • Total—2,359,250

Of the 1,913,737 votes cast so far, 870,850 were from Republicans, and 806,561 were from Democrats.

According to the state’s division of elections page, daily reporting of early voting activity starts the day after early voting begins and ends on the Monday after the end of early voting, with early voting schedules varying county by county.

Democrats favored voting by mail this election cycle, with 501,069 Democratic mail-in ballots sent compared to 422,324 Republican mail-in ballots.

Republicans, however, gravitate towards early voting, as the website recorded 448,526 early voters since Aug. 10, compared with 305,492 early voters among Democrats.

What's at Stake?

Tuesday’s primary sees gubernatorial candidates competing for the Governor, Senate, and House, with races spanning 28 districts that were recently redrawn following outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new congressional boundaries, signed into law during the 2026 legislative year.

Eleven Republicans and six Democrats are fighting for their party’s nomination for governor, with frontrunners Byron Donalds and David Jolly expected to be their party representative in the November election.

Donalds, who would be the first black governor if elected, has received an array of endorsements from prominent GOP figures, including President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and senators Rick Scott and Ted Cruz.

Jolly has centered his campaign on change, as the former Republican-turned-Democrat has based his platform on appealing to moderates and progressives, while attempting to scoop up on-the-fence Republicans who lean closer to the middle aisle rather than the hard right.

Competing for Florida Senate is incumbent Ashley Moody, who served as Marco Rubio’s replacement after he was chosen by President Trump to serve as his Secretary of State. Moody is expected to face little opposition from her party on Tuesday; however, her Democratic challenger may prove to be a worthy opponent.

Leading the Democratic charge for their party’s nomination are Angie Nixon, a state representative and union organizer, and Alex Vindman, a retired Lieutenant Colonel who served the United States Army for 21 years.

Polls open on Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.