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Presidential Election Year

Webpage last updated: February 16, 2024

A presidential election is held every four years in an even-numbered year. The method to qualify as a presidential candidate depends on whether the person is seeking to qualify as a candidate for a major political party, for a minor political party, without party affiliation, or as a write-in.

Presidential Preference Primary

The Presidential Preference Primary Election (PPP) is an election held on behalf of the major political parties in the early part of a presidential election year.

Florida’s PPP is a closed-primary election. This means that only voters registered with that party can vote for their preferred party nominee for President and Vice-President. See section 103.101, Florida Statutes

A major political party may nominate one or more presidential candidate nominees. If only one nominee is provided, that nominee becomes the party’s preferred presidential candidate. No PPP election is held for that party.

After the PPP, designated political party delegates from Florida meet at their respective party’s national conventions to formally nominate the preferred party nominee based on party rules. These national conventions are typically held in July or August. The party then submits to the State the names of the presidential candidate who will represent the party on the General Election ballot in November.

Florida’s next Presidential Preference Primary Election (PPP) is on March 19, 2024. The deadline for voters to register to vote or update their party affiliation for the PPP is February 20, 2024.

Please note there may be local nonpartisan elections held at the same time as the PPP Election. In those elections, all eligible voters can vote for those local races. For further information, please contact your county Supervisor of Elections.

Attention: For the 2024 PPP, the Florida Democratic Party submitted only the name of one presidential candidate nominee. This nominee is then deemed the preferred presidential candidate for that party without the need for a PPP ballot on March 19, 2024. The Republican Party of Florida submitted multiple candidate nominees. Therefore, there is a PPP ballot and election for voters registered with that party on March 19, 2024.

Presidential Preference Primary Ballot

2024 Presidential Preference Primary

2020 Presidential Preference Primary

Qualifying as a presidential candidate

What is the process to qualify as a presidential candidate for a major political party?

The process to qualify as a presidential candidate involves several steps. First, the candidate’s name must be nominated (i.e., be on a list submitted) by the major political party.  The deadline for the major political parties to submit this list is November 30 of the year preceding the presidential election year. Candidate nominees have until the second Tuesday in December to formally withdraw in writing.

The names of the candidate nominees are then placed on the ballot for the Presidential Preference Primary Election. Candidate nominees who actually or reportedly suspend or withdraw from campaigning after the December deadline must still have their names placed on the ballot.

If a major political party only provides the name of one presidential candidate nominee, the nominee is deemed the preferred presidential candidate for that party. There is no PPP ballot or PPP election to be conducted for that party.

After the PPP, designated political party delegates from Florida meet at their respective party’s national conventions to formally nominate the preferred party nominee based on party rules. These national conventions are typically held in July or August. The party then submits to the State the names of the presidential candidate who will represent the party on the General Election ballot in November.

No later than noon on August 24 of each presidential election year, the major political party must submit a certified list of the presidential electors who have been selected and sworn to represent the party candidate nominee if the candidate nominee wins the General Election in November. Visit Presidential Electors/Electoral College for more information about the process for electing the President and Vice President, appointing presidential electors, and the Electoral College.

Please refer to section 103.101, Florida Statutes for further details.

What is the process to qualify as a presidential candidate for a minor political party?

The process for qualifying as a presidential candidate for a minor party is as follows:

  • If a minor party is affiliated with a national party holding a national convention to nominate a presidential candidate, the party may nominate presidential candidates for placement on the General Election ballot by filing with the Department of State a certificate naming the candidates and listing the required number of presidential electors. The deadline is no later than noon. on August 24 of the presidential election year.
  • If a minor party is not affiliated with national party holding a national convention, the party nominate presidential candidates for placement on the General Election ballot by obtaining signed petitions from at least 1 percent of the registered voters of this state as of the preceding general election. The deadline is no later than noon on July 15 of each presidential election year. The deadline to submit a list of presidential electors for the candidate nominee is no later than noon on August 24 of each presidential election year.

Please refer to section 103.021(4)-(5), Florida Statutes for further details.

What is the process to qualify as a presidential candidate with no party affiliation?

The method to qualify is by petition. The petition must be signed by 1 percent of the registered voters of this state as of the preceding general election. The deadline to qualify by petition to have one's name placed on the General Election ballot is July 15 of the presidential election year. Please refer to section 103.021(3), Florida Statutes for more details. The deadline to submit a list of presidential electors for the candidate nominee is no later than noon on August 24 of each presidential election year.

What is the process to qualify as a write-in presidential candidate?

To qualify as a write-in presidential candidate, a written oath (Form DS-DE 306 WP) must be filed with the Department of State after the 57th day but before noon of the 49th day, before the Primary Election in the presidential election year. The deadline to submit a list of presidential electors for such write-in candidate is no later than noon on August 24 of each presidential election year. Although a person may qualify as a write-in candidate, the person is not entitled to have the name printed on the General Election ballot. However, a space will be available for the voter to write in the qualified candidate’s name. Please refer to section 103.022, Florida Statutes for more details.

Presidential electors/electoral college

Visit Presidential Electors/Electoral College for more information about the process for electing the President and Vice President, appointing presidential electors, and the Electoral College.

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