A recent state law Florida law now requires all Florida voters who vote by mail to renew a mail-in ballot request after each federal general election. That means that requests made prior to December 2022 are now expired.
Voters can make new vote-by-mail requests with their county’s supervisor of elections ahead of both the primary and general elections. For the August 20 primary voters must request their mail-in ballot by August 8. For the November 5 general election, they have until October 24 to make the request.
Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned via mail or delivered in person.
Completed vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the county supervisor of elections office no later than 7:00 p.m. local time on Election Day. Postmarks do not count! The United States Postal Service recommends domestic, nonmilitary mail back ballots at least one week before the deadline.
Keep in mind that some counties provide postage to return your ballot while others require voters provide their own.
Here’s how to request a vote-by-mail ballot in each county:
If a voter requested a mail-in-ballot, but decides to vote in person, the Florida Division of Elections advises that voters bring their ballot, marked or unmarked, to the polls and exchange it for a regular ballot. If voters do not return the mail-in-ballot, poll workers will need to confirm the ballot has not already been returned. If it has not been received, the voter is allowed to vote a regular ballot.
Voters may be allowed to vote via a provisional ballot if the supervisor of elections cannot determine that a ballot has been received, or if the supervisor determines it was in fact received but the voter believes that is incorrect. The matter will be presented to the canvassing board for a determination.
