The Hendry County Courthouse in LaBelle. [Photo by Richard Marion/Lake Okeechobee News]

LABELLE- Early voting for the primary election has started in Hendry County. Early voting in the primary runs from August 3 through August 15, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Voters in Clewiston can vote early at 1100 S. Olympia Street, or in LaBelle at the Courthouse Complex.

While your ballot in the primary will look different depending on what party you are registered under, there are several universal races that will be on the Republican, Democratic, and Non-Partisan ballots in the primary.

The Hendry Board of County Commissioner race for District 4 will be on all three ballots for precincts 7, 9 & 10.1. Voters will choose between the incumbent Ramon Iglesias, and Roly Gonzalez. The City of LaBelle Mayor race will be on all three ballots for precincts 2.1 and 3.1. Voters will have the choice of the incumbent Mayor Julie C. Wilkins or Vince Ross. And the City of LaBelle Tax Collector race will also be on all three ballots for precincts 2.1 and 3.1. with voters choosing between Incumbent Jackie M. Ratica and Allen Pickles.

The Circuit and County Judge races will be on all three ballots. Running for Circuit Judge, 20th Judicial Circuit, Group 19 are Vera Bergerman and James Stewart. Running for Circuit Judge, 20th Judicial Circuit, Group 27 are Ryan Kuhl and Amanda Levy-Reis. And running for County Judge, 20th Judicial Circuit are Jill Cabai, Robert Ostrov, and Antoinette "Toni" Peck.

Voters registered to the Republican Party will be asked to make their choice for United States Senator. The candidates are Chris Gleason, Ashley Moody, Neelam Taneja Perry, and Ernest "Ernie" Rivera. The race for Governor on the Republican ballot features Jay Collins, Byron Donalds, James Fishback, Jim Holcomb, Arthur Joseph McCaffrey, Daniel Nokovich, Paul Renner, Rachel Rodriguez, James W. Shaw, Caneste Succe, and Bobby Williams. The Representative in Congress, District 22 race includes Casey Askar, David Burk, Michael Carbonara, Richard Evans, Terri Hasdorff, Belinda Keiser, and Michael Thompson.

For Commissioner of Agriculture, the candidates for the Republican Party are Wilton Simpson and Matt Taylor.

On the Democratic Party ballot voters will select from Angie Nixon and Alex Vindman For United States Senator. The Representative in Congress, District 22 race features Joey Mendoza Atkins and Donald A. "Don" Prichard. For Governor, the candidates are Evelyn Castillo-Bach, Thomas Eloy Fernandez, Dayna Marie Foster, David Jolly, Gwen Graham, Dotie Joseph, and Stephann Norman. The Chief Financial Officer race lists Earle Ford and Annette Taddeo, while Commissioner of Agriculture features Joey Mendoza Atkins and Donald A. "Don" Prichard.