Bonifay, Florida Public Records

Florida residents can register to vote online through the Florida Department of State Division of Elections at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov, by mail using a voter registration application, or in person at the Supervisor of Elections office. The registration deadline is 29 days before any election. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens, Florida residents, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and provide a Florida driver license number or Florida ID card number (or the last four digits of Social Security number if no Florida ID). Bonifay is an incorporated municipality and holds municipal elections for Mayor and City Council seats. The city operates under a council-mayor form of government with a five-member city council and separately elected mayor. Municipal elections are typically held in even-numbered years, though specific election dates and cycles should be confirmed with Bonifay City Hall (850-547-3681) or the Holmes County Supervisor of Elections. Candidate qualifying, ballot measures, and local election information are available from the Supervisor of Elections office. Residents also vote in Holmes County Commission races (five single-member districts), Holmes County School Board elections, and state legislative races. The county is part of Florida House District 5 and Florida Senate District 2, with elections for these seats occurring on regular rotation. Polling place assignments for voters in the area can be found by entering your address at the Florida Division of Elections Voter Information Lookup (registration.elections.myflorida.com/CheckVoterStatus) or by contacting the Holmes County Supervisor of Elections at 850-547-1107. The lookup tool displays your precinct number, polling location address, sample ballot, and current registration status. Early voting is typically offered at the Holmes County Courthouse and potentially other locations for 10-14 days before Election Day, with extended hours including evenings and weekends; specific early voting schedules are posted before each election at holmeselections.com. Florida's public records law makes extensive election information publicly accessible. Voter registration lists are public records available for purchase or inspection (with exemptions for certain confidential data like Social Security numbers and signatures). Campaign finance reports for all candidates and political committees are searchable through the Florida Division of Elections website. Candidate filings, including qualifying documents and financial disclosures, are public. Precinct-level and county-level election results are published by the Supervisor of Elections immediately following certification. In the November 2024 general election, Holmes County reported approximately 65-70% voter turnout among registered voters, consistent with Florida Panhandle counties' relatively high engagement in presidential elections; local voters strongly favored Republican candidates, continuing long-standing trends in this conservative rural area. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, voters in the community will decide several key races. At the federal level, one of Florida's U.S. Senate seats will be on the ballot in 2026 (the seat currently held by the senator whose term expires January 2027). State executive offices are not up in 2026 (Governor and Cabinet are elected in 2022 midterms). Florida House District 5 and Florida Senate District 2 seats will both appear on the ballot depending on the regular four-year (House) and staggered four-year (Senate) cycles. At the Holmes County level, certain Holmes County Commission seats (those on the regular four-year rotation), the Holmes County Sheriff, Holmes County Clerk of Court, Holmes County Property Appraiser, Holmes County Tax Collector, and Holmes County Supervisor of Elections will be contested depending on term schedules (most Florida county constitutional officers serve four-year terms with elections in presidential or midterm years). Holmes County School Board seats may also be on the ballot. Bonifay municipal offices (mayor and city council seats) should be confirmed with city officials for 2026 election scheduling. Voters should monitor the Holmes County Supervisor of Elections website beginning in spring 2026 for candidate qualifying updates, sample ballots, and voter guides. Florida offers vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots to any registered voter upon request; no excuse is required. Local voters can request a mail ballot online at holmeselections.com, by phone at 850-547-1107, by written request, or in person at the Supervisor of Elections office. Mail ballot requests are valid through the end of the calendar year of the second ensuing general election (approximately two years) unless the voter requests otherwise. Voted mail ballots must be returned by 7:00 p.m. On Election Day either by mail (postmark does not count; must be received by deadline) or by dropping off at the Supervisor of Elections office or any early voting site or Election Day polling location in Holmes County. Florida law (F.S. 101.62) allows immediate family members or legal guardians to return another voter's mail ballot, but prohibition exists against organized ballot harvesting.