Welcome to Ballot Without Borders for Polk County, Florida. Local election information, voting resources, and community updates for Polk County will be added here after they are checked against official local and Florida election sources.
2026 General Election in Polk County
Candidates who received the most votes in Polk County (unofficial, AP county results, checked Nov. 4, 2026):
- U.S. Senate: Moody (R)
- Governor: Donalds (R)
These are statewide races, so this shows who led in Polk County, not a local winner. Statewide, Ashley Moody (R) won the U.S. Senate race and Byron Donalds (R) won the governor’s race, according to AP race calls. Results are unofficial until certified.
Voting in Florida: Rules for Polk County Voters
Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of Florida rules for Polk County voters, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with Florida’s official election website or your local election office before each election.
Registering to vote
- Online: by 29 days before Election Day.
- By mail: must be postmarked 29 days before Election Day.
- In person: by 29 days before Election Day.
- Register or check your registration (Florida on Vote.gov)
Primary elections
Florida has closed primaries: only voters registered with a party can vote in that party’s primary.
Voter ID
Florida asks voters to show a photo ID. If you don’t have one, there are other ways to cast a ballot that counts, such as being identified by a poll worker or signing an affidavit, depending on state rules.
Early voting
Starts: Ten days before election. May be offered 11 to 15 days before an election that contains state and federal races, at the discretion of the elections supervisor. Ends: Three days before election. May end two days before an election that contains state and federal races, at the discretion of the elections supervisor. Locations and hours are set locally.
Voting by mail
Any Florida voter can request an absentee/mail ballot. No excuse is needed.
Polk County election office
Polk Supervisor of Elections
PO Box 1460
Bartow, FL 33831
Phone: 863-534-5888
Fax: 863-845-2719
Email: votebymail@polkelections.com
You can also look up your local election office on Florida’s official election website.
Contact information from the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s local election office directory (FVAP.gov, U.S. Department of Defense), checked Nov. 4, 2026. Some listed emails are for military and overseas voters; call the office if you’re not sure who to contact.
Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).