Election 2026: Key voting deadlines for Hillsborough County
Mail ballots headed to Hillsborough voters
Tens of thousands of vote-by-mail ballots are headed out the door in Hillsborough County with public scanner accuracy testing scheduled for later on Thursday. FOX 13’s Kellie Cowan reports.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - The November midterm elections are just over a month away, and some Hillsborough County voters could start seeing ballots in their mailboxes as early as Friday.
Hillsborough election mail delivery
Dig deeper:
More than 149,000 vote by mail ballots were loaded for delivery in Hillsborough County Thursday morning.
The Hillsborough County Canvassing Board also met to oversee a public Logic and Accuracy Test of ballot scanners ahead of the 2026 General Election.
During the test, elections staff members scanned stacks of pre-filled ballots into a random selection of the scanners that will be used for Early Voting, Vote By Mail, and Election Day voting.
The test is designed to confirm the scanners are reading every position on the ballot and accurately counting votes.
Florida law requires Supervisors of Elections to use election equipment that meets the state’s certification standards and to conduct a Logic and Accuracy Test under the supervision of the Canvassing Board before every election.
Key dates
Timeline:
October 5: Deadline to register to vote
October 19: Early voting begins
October 22: Deadline to request a vote by mail ballot
November 1: Final day of early voting
November 3: Election Day
Voters who plan to cast a ballot by mail should request their ballot if they have not already done so for this election cycle.
Voters who prefer to cast their ballot in person will have nearly two weeks of Early Voting opportunities before Election Day. Early voting start dates vary by county. If you are not a Hillsborough County voter, check with your supervisor of elections office for your specific dates.
Mail in ballots must be returned by Election Day.
New voters in Florida are required to register to vote no fewer than 29 days before an election. Registered voters may change or update their address and precinct right up until Election Day.
Early voting allows for flexibility to choose from any early voting site. Voters must cast their ballots at their assigned precinct location if they wait until November 3.
Voter registration and party counts
By the numbers:
More than 149,000 vote by mail ballots were loaded for delivery in Hillsborough County Thursday.
Early Voting will be available for 14 days, from October 19 through November 1.
Hillsborough County has 819,204 active registered voters as of late September 2026, according to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.
Voter Breakdown by Party
- Republican: 296,286 voters
- Democratic: 273,208 voters
- No Party Affiliation (NPA): 213,946 voters
- Other Parties: 31,200 voters
The Source: Information about the ballot delivery, Canvassing Board meeting and Logic and Accuracy Test was provided by the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. Voting deadlines are based on the 2026 election calendar. Statistics on voter registration by party provided by the Florida Department of State.