Apopka, Florida Public Records

Florida residents can register to vote online at registertovoteflorida.gov, which requires a Florida driver license or identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The registration deadline is 29 days before any election. Voters must be U.S. Citizens, Florida residents, at least 18 years old by election day, and not adjudicated mentally incapacitated or convicted of a felony unless rights have been restored. As an incorporated city, Apopka conducts municipal elections for Mayor and City Council seats. The city operates under a council-manager form of government with a mayor and four city commissioners elected on a non-partisan basis. Municipal elections are typically held in March of odd-numbered years, separate from state and federal election cycles. The next municipal election is scheduled for March 2025 for certain council seats. Information about local candidates, qualifying periods, and city ballot measures is available through the City Clerk's office at (407) 703-1704 and apopka.net. Residents also participate in Orange County elections for County Mayor, County Commission (District 2 covers much of the city), Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Comptroller, and Supervisor of Elections. To find their assigned polling place, residents can use the precinct finder tool at ocfelections.com by entering their residential address, which provides the polling location, sample ballot, and precinct information. Florida maintains extensive public access to election records under Chapter 97 and 101 of Florida Statutes. Voter registration lists are public record (with certain information redacted such as Social Security numbers), available for purchase from the Supervisor of Elections for lawful purposes. Campaign finance reports for candidates and political committees are available through the Florida Division of Elections website at dos.myflorida.com/elections and the Orange County campaign finance database. Precinct-level election results, candidate qualifying information, and historical turnout data are published at ocfelections.com. In the November 2024 presidential election, Orange County recorded approximately 65% voter turnout with over 550,000 ballots cast from approximately 850,000 registered voters. Looking ahead to November 3, 2026, Apopka and Orange County voters will decide several significant races. Florida holds gubernatorial elections in midterm years; the 2026 ballot will include races for Governor (four-year term), all Florida Cabinet positions (Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture), one U.S. Senate seat (Class III, currently held by Marco Rubio, up for election in 2028; Class I held by Rick Scott up in 2024 was decided; verify current cycle), all U.S. House seats including Florida's 7th and 10th Congressional Districts which cover portions of Orange County, Florida House District 39 and Florida Senate District 13 which represent the area, and various Orange County constitutional offices. Vote-by-mail ballots in Florida can be requested online through the Supervisor of Elections website, by phone, mail, or in person. Requests are valid through the end of the calendar year for the second subsequent general election (two-year cycle). Voted mail ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections office by 7:00 PM on Election Day; postmarks do not extend the deadline. Florida offers no-excuse vote-by-mail, allowing any registered voter to request a mail ballot without stating a reason. Early voting in Orange County typically occurs at approximately 15-20 locations across the county for 10-14 days before Election Day, including weekends, with extended hours.