JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Election Day is here.
Following weeks of campaigning and countless television ads, millions of voters who haven’t already voted early will head to their polling places on Tuesday and cast their ballots.
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Of course, the biggest race in this election is to decide who will become the next President of the United States. It is expected to be a photo finish between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, and a winner may not be declared for days after the polls have closed.
View map: 2024 General Election House, Senate balance of power
However, there are plenty of consequential local elections down-ballot in both Florida and Georgia.
Find the latest election results for president, state and local races on News4JAX.com and the drop-down menu below. Since Florida has two time zones, preliminary election night results will not be released until 8 p.m. Eastern Time, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
SEARCH YOUR LOCAL RACES
Here’s what you should know before voting
Election officials said the peak times at polling locations are generally right around 7 a.m. when polls open, around lunch time and then in the evening.
If you arrive before 7 p.m., right before polls close and you’re in line, you will be able to vote no matter how long you have to wait, as long as you arrive before polls close.
And remember, unlike early voting, you can only vote at your designated polling location on Election Day. To find your precinct or polling location, visit the Florida Division of Elections page and select your county link.
Voters must bring a current and valid photo ID with a signature.
Any one of the following photo IDs will be accepted:
- Florida driver’s license
- Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- United States 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. 790.06
- Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality.
Those who do not bring a proper ID can still vote using a provisional ballot.
(Visit the Elections Division of the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office for more Georgia voting info)
Law enforcement is expected to be on hand at polling sites in both Florida and Georgia to prevent any problems.
No guns or concealed weapons are allowed at voting sites, and you are also prohibited from taking a photo of yourself or anyone else inside the voting room. It is illegal to post a photo of your ballot online.
Some states, including Georgia, also have dress codes banning hats, shirts and buttons that support a candidate or an issue.
Georgia’s Secretary of State says that because it is against the law to campaign within 150 feet of a polling place, you cannot have signs on your vehicle in that area and you cannot wear shirts, hats, jackets or other clothing with the name of a candidate, political party or slogan.
There are no such restrictions in Florida
Voters can wear political clothing -- and even a Halloween costume to the polls if they want -- as long as their face is visible when election workers check their ID.
As far as the candidates and amendments go, we have you covered before you go to the polls with our comprehensive Voter’s Guide. (More below)
Florida races
One of Florida’s two U.S. senators is up for re-election this year. Republican Rick Scott, first elected to the Senate in 2018, defeated two challengers in his party’s primary to advance to the general election. In the Democratic primary, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell defeated three other candidates.
In addition, a Libertarian candidate and two candidates running without party affiliation are on the general election ballot.
READ MORE: U.S. Senate Voter’s Guide
Florida has 28 members in the U.S. House of Representatives. Currently, there are 20 Republicans and eight Democrats in the state’s House delegation. All 28 seats are up for grabs.
READ MORE: Florida’s 3rd Congressional District | Florida’s 4th Congressional District | Florida’s 5th Congressional District | Florida’s 6th Congressional District
Members of the Florida Senate generally serve four-year terms. Half of the 40-member Senate is up for re-election every two years. (Two other area districts, District 4 and District 6, are not up for election this year.)
Northeast Florida Senate Races:
Members of the Florida House serve two-year terms, and all of the 120 seats in the chamber are up for election every two years.
Northeast Florida House Races:
(The incumbent in District 21 was unopposed, and re-elected.)
There are two high-profile and hotly contested Constitutional amendments on the Florida ballot this year, Amendment 3 and Amendment 4, but there are four more important amendments that you should also know about:
Proposed Constitutional Amendments:
Georgia races
This year, there are no statewide races in Georgia, other than the race for president and three ballot questions: two proposed amendments and an additional referendum.
Regional races
There are also plenty of races in our area counties, including school board races, races for sheriff and more.
For a complete look at your county, check out our Voter’s Guide. Just scroll to the bottom and click on your county.
