When The Florida Polls Close

Next week, Florida will cast its vote in the Democratic and Republican primary. Florida, like Ohio, is a winner-take-all state that's worth tons of delegates, giving it outsized importance in the primaries. If you're living in the Sunshine State and you plan to vote, you may be wondering what time the polls close in Florida. So: Polls in Florida close at 7:00pm local time. No matter what time zone you're in (Florida spans two), the polls will open at 7:00am, and if you're in line at the polling station as of 7:00pm, you'll be eligible to vote. Bring a picture ID with a signature, although per Florida law, you'll still be allowed to cast a provisional vote even if you forget to bring identification.

If you're a Floridian, you may hold the fate of Marco Rubio's presidential candidacy in your hands when you head to the polls. Whatever chances he still has of becoming the Republican nominee depend on him winning his home state, because he's way behind in delegates and time is running out. Florida is a winner-take-all state worth 99 delegates, and while winning every one of them still wouldn't get Rubio out of the delegate hole he's in, it would at least give his campaign a last-minute reprieve and, possibly, a chance to mount a comeback of truly outstanding proportions.

Still, it's hard to see anybody but Trump winning the nomination at this point, and it's even harder to imagine Rubio being the one to do it. Despite spending over 6 million in the state he represents in the Senate, he's been trailing Trump by double digits for months, and given his record in this race so far, there's little reason to expect that Rubio will come from behind in the polls at the last minute and overtake Trump.

That's not to say it would be entirely useless. At best, a Rubio win in Florida would allow him to retain some modicum of status and respect in his home state, which could come in handy if he wants to run for statewide office again after 2016. He already declined to run for reelection to the Senate (whoops), but there's an open governor's race in 2018.

A victory for Rubio in Florida isn't likely. But if Rubio does have a chance to resuscitate his fledgling campaign — and he probably doesn't — it runs right through Florida.