Monday, July 20, is the last day Pasco County residents can register to vote or change their party affiliation before the county's August 18 primary — a ballot that will help decide who represents Dade City's schools for the next four years. Under Florida's "book closing" rule, registrations and party changes must reach the Supervisor of Elections' office (or be postmarked) by that Monday, or voters will be locked into their current status for the primary.
The stakes are especially local this year. The school board district that covers Dade City, Zephyrhills and San Antonio is one of two open seats on the Pasco County School Board, and the field to fill it is crowded. The seat's current holder, Al Hernandez, served a single term and is not seeking reelection, according to local media reports — leaving the race wide open.
What's on the ballot for Dade City families
Four candidates qualified for the district seat, local news reports indicate. Reported contenders include Dade City's Tanner Alvarado, Zephyrhills resident and Marine Corps veteran Christopher King, school-choice advocate Denisha Allen, and Brian Perras, a former congressional candidate.
School board races in Florida are nonpartisan, which means every registered voter in the district can weigh in regardless of party. If a candidate wins a majority outright in August, the contest can be decided in the primary rather than waiting until November — one reason the summer ballot carries real weight for local families.
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The school board race is open to all voters, but Florida runs closed party primaries for partisan offices. That means your registered party determines which of those other races you can vote in on August 18. If you want a say in a party's primary contests, your affiliation must be set by Monday's deadline.
The key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Mon, July 20 | Deadline to register or change party |
| Aug 8–15 | Early voting |
| Tue, Aug 18 | Primary Election Day |
The July 20 book closing date and the August 18 primary date are both confirmed on the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections' official election calendar.
How to register or update your status
Residents who need to register for the first time, update an address, or change party affiliation can do so in a few ways before Monday:
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- Online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov
- By mail, with a completed form postmarked by July 20
- In person at a Pasco County Supervisor of Elections office
Voters unsure of their current registration or party can check their status through the Supervisor of Elections at pascovotes.gov. New Florida voters must have a completed form in the office or postmarked by the book closing date, and residents who have moved within the state are urged to update their address as soon as possible.
Note: A separate deadline follows for anyone who prefers to vote by mail. All vote-by-mail requests expired after the 2024 elections, so voters who want a mailed ballot for 2026 must submit a new request through the Supervisor of Elections.
The bottom line
For families in Dade City, the district's school board seat is genuinely up for grabs, and the primary is the first — and possibly deciding — round. Whether the goal is to have a voice in that race or in a party primary, the window to get registered or switch parties closes Monday.
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For more coverage of local elections and decisions that shape Dade City, visit Dade City Community Website and read more government and politics stories. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates, and join the conversation in our Community Forum to tell us what you want to know about the candidates before you vote.
Header photo: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
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