Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the dates for a special election to fill the vacancy in Florida's First Congressional District. This district includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties, along with part of Walton County. The special primary election is scheduled for January 28, 2025, followed by the general election on April 1, 2025.
Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd stated, "At Governor Ron DeSantis’ direction, this Special Election is being conducted as quickly as statutorily possible." He emphasized their commitment to holding the election as soon as state law permits.
Special elections are governed by both federal and state laws that specify dates and deadlines for conducting elections. These regulations outline requirements such as qualifying periods, primaries, mail-in voting timelines, early voting schedules, and general elections. The timeline for a special election mirrors that of a general election according to Florida Statutes § 100.191.
The process begins with the issuance of Executive Order 24-262 on November 22, 2024. Key dates include the advertisement of the Notice of Election on November 24 and the last day to submit notice of resignation on November 25. The qualifying period runs from December 5 to December 6.
Vote-by-mail ballots will be sent out starting December 14 for absent military personnel and U.S. civilians overseas and beginning December 19 for domestic voters. Early voting for the primary takes place from January 18 to January 25.
After the primary on January 28, results must be certified by February 11. Vote-by-mail ballots for the general election will follow similar distribution schedules starting February 15 and February 20 for military/overseas voters and domestic voters respectively. Early voting precedes the general election from March 22 to March 29.
The Division of Elections under Florida's Department of State oversees these processes to ensure fair and accurate elections statewide. They work alongside local Supervisors of Elections to uphold legal compliance and enhance public engagement in electoral activities.