Early Voting Starts Saturday in Collier County. Here's Where to Go, What's on the Ballot, and Why August Actually Matters More Than November.

Early voting opens Saturday, August 8, and runs through Saturday, August 15, 10 AM to 6 PM daily at 11 locations across Collier County. Election Day is Tuesday, August 18; polls open 7 AM to 7 PM. You can vote at any early voting location regardless of your home precinct.

If you requested a mail-in ballot, the deadline to request one has already passed. If you have a mail-in ballot in hand, you can drop it off at any early voting location through August 8, after that you must vote in person.

Collier County Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier has been direct about why the August primary matters: a lot of your local representation is actually decided during a primary election, not in November. For many races, the August winner is the only candidate on the November ballot.

Key races on the August 18 primary ballot include:

Collier County School Board — multiple seats. School board elections are nonpartisan, meaning all registered voters regardless of party can vote in these races. Given the district's $42 million budget deficit, teacher pay disputes, and curriculum debates, these seats carry unusual weight this cycle.

Collier County Commission — including District 4, which is a Universal Primary. All voters in District 4 can participate regardless of party affiliation because the general election will have no opposition. If you live in District 4, your primary vote is your final vote on this race.

State Legislature — state senate and state house seats serving Collier County are on the ballot. Florida is a closed primary state — you may only vote for candidates of your registered party in partisan races.

Congressional District 22 — the brand new district that now spans Collier, Hendry, Palm Beach, and Broward counties and affects approximately 125,000 Collier County voters. Seven Republicans and two Democrats are on the ballot. This is the race where Collier County voters will have the least familiarity with the candidates, since the field is spread across four counties. Do your research before you go.

All 11 early voting locations are open 10 AM to 6 PM, August 8 through August 15. You can vote at any location — you are not restricted to the one nearest your home address.

Additional locations available — confirm all 11 sites and current wait times at colliervotes.gov

1. Confirm your registration is current. Your name, address, and party affiliation all need to match what the Supervisor of Elections has on file. Verify at colliervotes.gov before showing up. The registration deadline was July 20 — if you missed it, you cannot register for this primary.

2. Review your sample ballot. Sample ballots are available at colliervotes.gov. Knowing which races appear on your specific ballot before you arrive saves time and ensures you don't miss any contests.

3. Bring a valid ID. Florida law requires photo and signature ID to vote in person. A Florida driver's license, Florida ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or other government-issued photo ID with signature all qualify.

For questions, contact the Collier County Supervisor of Elections at colliervotes.gov or call 239-252-VOTE (8683). The office is located at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Building, 3750 Enterprise Ave., Naples.

Information sourced from the Collier County Supervisor of Elections Office at colliervotes.gov, the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, Florida Weekly, and AOL/Naples Daily News.