PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Florida's Primary Election is less than 5 weeks away, and the deadline to register to vote is fast approaching.

While primary ballots will include partisan races for such things as the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Rick Scott, they will also include nonpartisan races in many areas of the state.

Election officials want to make sure people understand that if they are not registered, they can’t vote. Monday is the deadline if you want to change your party for the August primary.

Pasco County’s Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said people can register and make any changes in person, but the most common way to do this is right from the comfort of your home on the Supervisor of Elections website for your particular county.  

Officials also want to remind residents that if you plan to vote-by-mail to that ballot now.

Corley said primary elections tend to see fewer voters, but he says they’re extremely important to local government.

“A county commissioner, a school board candidate, has more of a direct impact on our lives as citizens than some at the federal level. Certainly, the president day-to-day, and yet the irony is the turnout is inverted. It also should be opposite for some local office consideration,” he says.

Corley said his officials are seeing a number of people changing their political affiliation, but he says the trend seems to be voters leaving the major parties to become independent.

He does say typically after Labor Day they see more people registering to vote in the presidential election.

Since Florida is a closed primary state, only voters who are registered political party members may vote for their respective party’s candidate in a primary election.