The Division of Elections provides administrative support to the Secretary of State, Florida's Chief Election Officer, to ensure that Florida has fair and accurate elections. The division is responsible for uniform interpretation and implementation of Florida's election laws and for promoting public participation in the electoral process.

At the federal level, primary and general elections are held in November every even-numbered year. The major state and county elections are held in even-numbered years. County referenda, special district, and city elections may be held during the odd-numbered years. In addition, the Governor calls special elections when necessary to fill vacancies created by deaths, resignations, removals, etc.

County supervisors of elections, who are elected constitutional officers in all but one county, are primarily responsible for registering voters, establishing voting precincts, and administering elections. These officials use local, state, and federal funds for these functions. Each county also has a canvassing board, which is responsible for certifying and transferring the results of state and federal elections to the Division of Elections.

The division has a limited role in the administration of elections and works with other governmental entities to fulfill these local, state, and federal responsibilities.

• Election Law Compliance. The division issues advisory opinions that provide statewide coordination and direction for interpreting and implementing election law provisions. The division also qualifies state and federal candidates and is the filing officer for campaign finance reports for federal, state, and multicounty candidates; political committees; and state political parties.  
• Elections Administration. Although counties have primary responsibility for administering elections, the division also has a limited role. County canvassing boards file certified county election results with the Division of Elections. The division tabulates the certified results from each county and provides statewide vote totals to Florida's Elections Canvassing Commission, which is responsible for certifying the state and federal election results. In addition, the division certifies all voting systems used in Florida and prescribes ballot instructions and overall ballot layout for each voting system through adoption of an administrative rule.
• Voter Participation. The division promotes participation in elections by conducting National Voter Registration Act workshops for agencies that are required to provide voter registration assistance. It operates and maintains Florida's statewide voter registration system, the official list of all registered voters in the state. The division is also responsible for assisting Supervisors of Elections with the voter registration and removal process and identifying potentially ineligible voters.

The Division of Elections is organized into a director's office and three bureaus.

• Director's Office is responsible for the statewide coordination and direction for the interpretation and enforcement of election laws, as required by Florida statutes, and to provide supervision to the division's bureaus. In addition, the office contains Help America Vote Act and the national Voter Registration Acts units.
• Bureau of Election Records handles candidate and political committee filings, including campaign finance and qualifying papers.  The bureau also processes commissions of office for elected officials on behalf of the Governor.
• Bureau of Voter Registration coordinates and manages the official statewide voter registration system including assisting supervisors of election with voter registration and voter removal processes.
• Bureau of Voting Systems Certification implements Florida's voting systems certification standards for all voting systems in Florida and provides technical assistance to county supervisors of elections on voting systems. 

The division is funded through general revenue funds and Federal Grants Trust Fund. The Federal Grants Trust Fund revenues for the division come from federal Help America Vote Act funds.

Election Administration. The 2021 Florida Legislature enacted Ch. 2021-11, Laws of Florida, which amends provisions related to mail-in ballots and drop box voting, including

• limiting duration of requests for vote-by-mail ballots;
• prohibition of certain agency, state, and local officials from soliciting, accepting, or otherwise using private funds for election-related expenses;
• revising requirements for uniform statewide voter registration applications;
• requiring the Division of Elections to maintain a website for the online voter registration system;
• additional requirements for a biennial comprehensive risk assessment of the online voter registration system; and
• requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to assist the Department of State in identifying certain residence address changes.  

Sponsorship Identification Disclaimer. The 2021 Florida Legislature enacted Ch. 2021-49, Laws of Florida, which amends provisions related to election communication and advertisements. Political advertisements, independent expenditures, and electioneering communication must carry a sponsorship disclaimer or URL address to a website containing the disclaimer. 

Campaign Financing. The 2021 Florida Legislature enacted Ch. 2021-16, Laws of Florida, which amends provisions related to campaign contributions and surplus campaign fund designations, including

• adding contribution limits for constitutional amendments proposed by initiative;
• preemption of local governments from enacting or adopting legislation limiting contributions or expenditures to political committees or electioneering communication;
• prohibition of candidates to dispose surplus campaign funds to a charitable organization in which the candidate is an employee; and
• the allowance of surplus campaign funds to be deposited to a general revenue fund of a political subdivision, the State General Revenue Fund, or the Election Campaign Financing Trust Fund. 

Other Reports 

Analysis and Report of Overvotes and Undervotes in the 2020 General Election, Florida Division of Elections, January 2021.
Restoration of Voting Rights Workgroup - Final Report, Department of State, November 2019.
Analysis and Report of Overvotes and Undervotes in the 2018 General Election, Florida Division of Elections, January 2019.


Websites of Interest
Elections Data and Voter Registration Statistics
Find Your County Supervisor of Elections by Map
Florida Elections Commission
Federal Election Commission
Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
U.S. Elections Assistance Commission
Performance Information

Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

Chapters 15, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 111, 116, 117, and 119, and s. 20.10, Florida Statutes.

Maria Matthews, Esq., Director, email:  maria.matthews@dos.myflorida.com

Amber Marconnet, Assistant Director, email:  amber.marconnet@dos.myflorida.com

Division of Elections, 850-245-6200, email:  DivElections@dos.state.fl.us or contact online

Website