| Primary System in Florida 2022-2023 |
FLORIDA IS A CLOSED PRIMARY STATE —BUT—
Florida has a closed primary system which means that only those voters enrolled in the Party can vote in the Party’s primary. Whenever there are 2 or more candidates of the same political party vying for the same position, party members, in the Primary Election, choose the candidate to represent them in the November General Election.
BUT — All voters, including those with any other affiliation, may vote for non-partisan candidates for County Court Judges, Circuit Court Judges and Broward School Board. If no one receives 50% plus one vote (a majority), the run-off will be held at the November General Election.
Special Universal Primary: There is an interesting exception to the closed primary rule. Voters amended the Florida Constitution in 1998 to allow any registered voter to vote in a primary if there will be no other challenger on the November General Election Ballot. That is, if 3 Democrats qualify for a district seat in the Florida Legislature, and no Republican or other party candidate, including write-ins, qualifies to be on the November ballot, all registered voters may vote in that primary. This allows all voters to choose the representative, in effect treating the Primary as a General Election.