BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Palm Beach County election officials have already mailed out more than 100,000 Vote-by-Mail ballots ahead of the August 18 Primary Election.
“Voting by mail is a safe, secure, and convenient option for many voters,” Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link said in a statement. She’s urging residents to pick whichever method works for them — mail, early voting, or showing up at the polls on Election Day — as long as they actually make a plan and vote.
Voters have several ways to get their mail ballots back to the county: pre-paid postage through the mail, drop-off at any of the four elections offices, a Secure Ballot Intake Station, or an Early Voting site during voting hours. The office also runs a free tracking service called BallotTrax, which sends email, text, or voice alerts letting voters know exactly where their ballot stands — including if something needs to be fixed. Anyone who hasn’t renewed their mail ballot request since before the 2024 General Election will need to submit a new one, and there’s a hard deadline for that: 5 p.m. on August 6.
The office is also flagging a wrinkle that could trip up some voters: anyone who has renewed or replaced their Florida driver’s license or ID since July 31, 2024, may need to update their voter registration, since the county uses that number to verify identity for mail ballot requests. Voters can request a ballot online at VotePalmBeach.gov, by emailing votebymail@votepalmbeach.gov, or by calling (561) 656-6208, and should have a driver’s license, state ID, or the last four digits of their Social Security number ready.
2026 Primary Election Key Dates
- Election Day: Tuesday, August 18, 2026, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation: Monday, July 20, 2026
- Deadline to request a Vote-by-Mail ballot: Thursday, August 6, 2026, 5 p.m.
- Early Voting: Saturday, August 8 through Sunday, August 16, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Deadline to return a Vote-by-Mail ballot: Tuesday, August 18, 2026 — 7 p.m. to the Main Office or 5 p.m. to a Branch Office/Secure Ballot Intake Station
2026 General Election Key Dates
- Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Deadline to register to vote: Monday, October 5, 2026
- Deadline to request a Vote-by-Mail ballot: Thursday, October 22, 2026, 5 p.m.
- Early Voting: Monday, October 19 through Sunday, November 1, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Deadline to return a Vote-by-Mail ballot: Tuesday, November 3, 2026 — 7 p.m. to the Main Office or 5 p.m. to a Branch Office/Secure Ballot Intake Station
