Ocala, Florida Public Records

citizens, Florida residents, at least 18 years old (or will be by the next election), and not adjudicated mentally incapacitated or convicted of a felony without rights restored. Acceptable ID includes a Florida driver's license or ID card number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. The city operates under a council-manager form of government with a mayor and five council members elected to staggered four-year terms. Municipal elections are held in odd-numbered years; the next city elections are in 2025, with mayoral and council seats on the ballot. Residents can find candidate information, local ballot measures, and municipal election details at ocalafl.org. Polling place assignments can be found by entering an address at votemarion.gov or by calling the Supervisor of Elections office. Florida's voter registration database is not fully public, but registered voter lists (without Social Security numbers or birthdates) are available for purchase for political purposes under F.S. 97.0585. Campaign finance reports for city, county, and state candidates are publicly searchable at the Florida Division of Elections website (dos.myflorida.com/elections) and through local candidate disclosure forms filed with the Supervisor of Elections. Election results by precinct are published at votemarion.gov after each election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Marion County recorded approximately 75% voter turnout with over 160,000 ballots cast out of roughly 213,000 registered voters; the county has historically leaned Republican in statewide and national races. For the November 3, 2026 general election, local voters will decide races for Florida Governor (Ron DeSantis is term-limited), Florida Cabinet positions (Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture), all Florida House of Representatives seats (District 24 covers parts of Marion County), U.S. House of Representatives (Florida's 5th and 11th districts cover Marion County), and local races including Marion County Commission, School Board, Sheriff, Clerk of Court, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, and Supervisor of Elections. The U.S. Senate seat held by Marco Rubio is not up for election in 2026. Voters can request vote-by-mail ballots (absentee ballots) through the Supervisor of Elections office; requests can be made online at votemarion.gov, by phone, mail, or in person. Vote-by-mail ballot requests are valid through the end of the calendar year of the second subsequent regularly scheduled general election, meaning a request made in 2025 is valid through December 31, 2026. Ballots must be requested no later than 10 days before Election Day and must be received by 7:00 PM on Election Day to be counted. Early voting is typically available at multiple locations throughout Marion County for approximately two weeks before Election Day, with specific dates and locations announced by the Supervisor of Elections for each election.