While schools and government offices in St. Johns County will be closed Monday for Presidents Day, it will be business as usual for folks who work in that county’s elections office.
Elections Supervisor Vicky Oakes said she chose to stay open on the federal holiday to accommodate voters.
“There’s a very important deadline the next day, February the 18th,” she said.
That’s the last day to register to vote or make a party change to vote in the parties’ March 17 presidential preference primaries in Florida. Voters who live in the city of St. Augustine will also be asked to weigh in on two local ordinances that day.
Registered Democrats are choosing among a crowded field of candidates who are hoping to unseat Republican President Donald Trump, and some on the ballot have already dropped out of the race. Republicans will be presented with Trump alongside three challengers.
In addition to registering in person at the office, Florida voters can register or change their party affiliation on their county’s Supervisor of Elections website.
“Just as a reminder: Florida’s Presidential Preference Primary is open only to registered Republicans and Democrats. So if you’re a registered voter with no party affiliation, or one of the minor political parties, you’re not eligible to vote in the election,” Oakes said.
But all voters who live in St. Augustine will be asked to vote up or down on two city charter amendments: one extending the terms of certain Civil Service Board members and the other requiring city commission candidates to have lived in and been registered to vote in St. Augustine for at least a year.
Meanwhile, elections offices in Baker and Putnam counties will also be open on Presidents’ Day, as those counties don’t observe the federal holiday.
The offices in Clay, Duval and Nassau counties will be closed — along with the rest of local services there.
