As voters prepare to head to the polls, knowing the issues and understanding the voting process can make a difference.

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Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley says planning ahead can help voters avoid confusion and make sure their ballots are counted.

If you want to make sure your ballot counts and you're waiting until Election Day, don't wait till the last minute. You have to be in line by 7 p.m. on Election Day to vote. Same really during the early voting sites, and make sure you're at the right location, Earley said.

Leon County has 10 early voting locations, where voters can cast their ballots at any designated early voting site.

On Election Day, however, voters must go to their assigned precinct.

Earley says students and people who have recently moved should confirm their polling place and make sure their voter registration information is up to date before heading out to vote, and that checking your assigned location ahead of time can help prevent delays or a trip to the wrong polling place.

Earley also encourages voters to review the candidates, nonpartisan races, and proposed amendments on their ballots before arriving at the polls.

I wish they knew which amendments they were going to vote for ahead of time so they do not take so long at the polls, and that they really should fill in the ovals. Okay, look for the ovals. If you have trouble seeing the ovals, which, hey, without my glasses, I have trouble seeing the ovals. You can ask for assistance, Earley said.

When filling out a paper ballot, voters should completely fill in the oval next to their choice rather than circle a name or use a check mark.

Voters who choose to vote by mail should also pay close attention to the instructions for returning their ballots.

Earley says voters must sign the certificate envelope and ensure their completed ballot is received by the elections office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. A postmark alone does not satisfy the deadline.

Early Voting Locations:

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Voters who encounter issues at a polling location should notify election officials immediately.

Many Election Day concerns can be addressed on-site by poll workers or the polling-place clerk.

These may include:

Voters can contact:

Florida's voter assistance hotline is 866-308-6739. Florida Relay users may dial 711. For more information, click here.

When reporting a concern, voters should include:

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Florida voters must present valid identification when voting in person.

The identification must include both a photograph and a signature.

Examples of acceptable identification include:

Voters may be asked to provide an additional form of identification containing a signature.

Registered voters who do not present acceptable identification may cast a provisional ballot.

Election officials will review the ballot after Election Day to determine eligibility.

Voters requesting a vote-by-mail ballot must provide identifying information when making the request.

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Florida voters will decide races from the governor's office to local commission seats when they head to the polls Nov. 3.

The exact ballot varies by location, but many Tallahassee-area voters will see statewide races, congressional contests, constitutional amendments, and local referendums.

Depending on where voters live, ballots may include:

Florida voters will be asked to vote on:

Depending on county and municipality, voters may also see:

Election officials recommend reviewing a sample ballot before Election Day.

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One of the most important steps voters can take before Election Day is confirming where they are assigned to vote.

Polling locations can change from one election cycle to the next, and election officials encourage voters across the Big Bend to verify their polling place before heading to the polls on Nov. 3.

Florida voters can use the state's voter information lookup system or their county supervisor of elections website to verify registration information and find Election Day voting locations.

Most county election offices provide online voter lookup tools that allow voters to:

Florida election officials note that polling place information is available through local supervisors of elections.

No.

On Election Day, voters generally must vote at the assigned polling location associated with their residential address.

During early voting, however, voters may use any designated early voting site within their county.

Voters should bring an approved photo ID with a signature when voting in person.

Those who do not have proper identification may be able to cast a provisional ballot.

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The Leon County Supervisor of Elections is warning voters about disinformation as early voting approaches.

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The elections office posted an alert about a false social media post circulating online. The post was a fake story claiming poll workers were marking ballots, which would lead to the ballot being invalid.

The official Leon County Supervisor of Elections page says this is 100% false, and that voters are the only ones marking their ballots. Extra marks do not invalidate a ballot.

Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley stressed just that.

"Your ballot's not going to be thrown out just because there's a stray mark on your ballot, so don't be afraid of that," Earley said.

Early voting begins Monday, October 19, and runs through Sunday, November 1. There will be 10 locations across Leon County to vote early, including the Bruce J. Host Northeast Branch Library, the FAMU Efferson Student Union, and the FSU Student Union.

The benefits of voting early include shorter wait times and more than 300 hours of weekend voting availability.

Voters can also drop off a Leon County vote-by-mail ballot at any of the 10 early voting locations during voting hours. The elections office must receive vote-by-mail ballots by 7 p.m. on November 3 to be counted.

The Leon County Supervisor of Elections is the trusted source for information regarding the upcoming election.

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Early voting for the 2026 General Election begins Monday, Oct. 19, in Leon County, giving voters two weeks to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day.

Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark S. Earley announced that early voting will run through Sunday, Nov. 1, at 10 locations across the county.

"I encourage all voters to consider voting early as a way of avoiding lines on Election Day," Earley said in a news release.

Earley particularly encouraged students attending Florida A&M University, Florida State University and Tallahassee State College to vote early to avoid concerns about where they should cast their ballots on Election Day.

During the early voting period, Leon County voters can use any of the county's 10 early voting locations, regardless of where they live within the county.

Here are the locations and hours:

Voters can also drop off completed Leon County vote-by-mail ballots at any early voting location during voting hours. Each location will have a secure ballot intake station staffed by an election worker.

Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the Leon County Elections Office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, to be counted. Ballots received after the deadline will not count.

Voters can find additional early voting information at LeonVotes.gov or contact the Supervisor of Elections Office at Vote@LeonVotes.gov or 850-606-8683 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Some Leon County voters say that while picking candidates is straightforward, understanding the amendments on their ballot is another story.

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Carlos Ayala voted early and dropped off his ballot at the Leon County Elections Office. He knew which candidates he wanted to support, but he says the amendments took more work to understand.

"I prefer in my opinion maybe another citizen is going to do the same, have more clarification about the amendment and I was asking other people in another person teachers for example, and some friends in the county in order to understand more or less about the amendments in order to say yes or not." Carlos Ayala said.

Ayala is not alone in wanting more clarity. Another Leon County voter contacted ABC 27 after reviewing his sample ballot. He questioned three proposed changes to the county charter. One addresses human dignity. Another would remove outdated references to state law. The third focuses on historically underserved and vulnerable populations. The voter wanted to know what those changes would actually accomplish and what a yes or no vote would mean. I reached out to him but did not hear back.

ABC 27's Lentheus Chaney visited Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley, who says even he sometimes has to take a closer look at how an amendment is worded. While his office can point voters to more information, it cannot tell them how to interpret the proposals or which way to vote.

"What we can do is provide information and websites where maybe those things are explained better, and again, it's sometimes difficult for me to understand does a yes mean I'm voting for something or against something. It takes a bit of thought to get through these." Mark Earley said.

Earley says one place to start is LeonVotes.gov. Under "Election Information," voters can find the amendments on their ballot and access the full text of the proposed changes. The website also links to the government agencies responsible for putting those questions before voters. For the three county charter amendments, that includes Leon County's website.

Earley says his office is responsible for making sure the amendments appear correctly on the ballot, but it is up to voters to review the information and decide how they want to vote

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Floridians took to the polls Tuesday to cast their votes in the 2026 Primary Elections. Some races will be heading back to the ballot in November, as no candidate received 50%+ of the vote.

We're holding off on calling who will head to the runoff in the Tallahassee City Commission, Seat 3, and Madison County Commission, District 2, as the percentages for two candidates are very close.

*Tallahassee City Commission, Seat 3

Tallahassee Mayor

Madison County School Board, District 5

Find full results here.

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Candidates for Georgia's November ballot are set following primary runoffs in the state on Tuesday. Neighbors cast their vote in several key races, including ones for Governor, U.S. Senate, and Secretary of State.

To check on your voter registration for future elections, click here.

Key General Election Dates

View the full list of results here.

More Coverage

Georgia Republicans choose Collins for Senate and Jackson for governor

Rep. Mike Collins wins Georgias GOP Senate nomination and will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff

Elsie Napier wins GA House District 177 runoff election to represent Lowndes County

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Poll have now closed in South Georgia. For races where a candidate doesn't get 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff on June 16th. To check on your voter registration for future elections, click here.

The following Georgia races are headed to a runoff:

Governor (R)

U.S. Senate (R)

Lt. Governor (R)

Lt. Governor (D)

Secretary of State (D)

Secretary of State (R)

Labor Commissioner (D)

Insurance Commissioner (D)

PSC District 5 (R)

State House District 177 (D)

For full election results, click here.

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The 2026 election cycle is under a year away. Below you will find important dates for Leon County elections.

Leon County Judge Seat 5

Leon County Commission At Large Group 2

Commission District 1:

Commission District 3:

Commission District 5:

Leon County School Board District 1:

Leon County School Board District 3:

Leon County School Board District 5:

Tallahassee City Commission Seat 3:

Tallahassee City Commission Seat 4/Mayor:

Tallahassee City Commission Seat 5:

Leon Soil and Water Conservation District 1:

Leon Soil and Water Conservation District 5:

Community Development District - Canopy Supervisor, Seat 1:

Community Development District - Canopy Supervisor, Seat 2:

Community Development District - Capital Region, Seat 1:

Community Development District - Capital Region, Seat 3:

Community Development District - Capital Region, Seat 5:

Community Development District- Fallschase Supervisor, Seat 1:

Community Development District- Fallschase Supervisor, Seat 5:

Community Development District- Piney Z Supervisor, Seat 1:

Community Development District- Piney Z Supervisor, Seat 3:

Community Development District- Piney Z Supervisor, Seat 5:

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