TAMPA, Fla. — Election Day is right around the corner, which means now is a good time for anyone to make sure they are eligible and registered to vote in their respective counties.
Once all of that is taken care of, registered voters will have the option to cast their ballots either during the early voting period or on Election Day, which falls on Tuesday, Nov. 8, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Whichever time frame people decide to vote, here is what you can expect to happen at your polling place should you wish to vote in person.
Before arriving
All registered voters are asked to bring one or two forms of current identification that include a picture of yourself and your signature upon arriving at the polls, according to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office.
These rules apply to other counties in Florida, not just Hillsborough.
Any photo IDs that don't include a signature will not be accepted and people will be asked to provide another form of ID with a signature. Those who do not bring proper identification may still vote but will have to fill out a provisional ballot that will be evaluated later by a canvassing board for eligibility, Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office stated on its website.
"We suggest that you bring your sample ballot with you to the polling place, marked with notes on how you plan to vote," the supervisor of elections office stated. "That way, you can take time to consider your voting decisions before you get to the polling place, and we can keep the lines down for voters."
Below are the forms of ID that are acceptable at the polls:
- Florida Driver License
- Florida ID Card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- U.S. Passport
- Debit or Credit Card
- Military ID
- Student ID
- Retirement Center ID
- Neighborhood Association ID
- Public Assistance ID
- Veteran Health ID (issued by VA)
- Concealed Weapon License (issued pursuant to s. 790.06)
- Government Employee ID
At the polls
Waiting lines varies depending on if a person votes during early voting or on Election Day, but times are usually longer on Election Day, according to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office.
Once you are done waiting in line and are next to enter your designated polling place, people will be asked to sign a keypad of an electronic poll book to receive a ballot ticket printed by the same machine after showing a valid form of ID.
Voters will then take their ballot ticket to the ballot distribution manager to get their paper ballot. From there, you will proceed to the voting booth, the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office stated on its website.
On the ballot, people will use a black pen to fill in the ovals next to their candidate selection. Voters are asked to review their ballot and if they wish to make any changes, ask a poll worker for assistance.
After you are finished making your choices, you must take your ballot to the ballot scanner near the exit of the room at the polling place and insert it into the machine.
Voters can tell if their ballot was marked correctly if the scanner accepts it. If the scanner doesn't accept your ballot, it will alert them if it appears to be blank or has one or more overvotes, according to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office.
The last step at the polls will be to press the accept option on the scanner or return to make corrections. After that, you are done casting your ballot.
Other things to keep in mind
- ADA-accessible voting machines will reportedly be available at early voting locations and Election Day polling places for those who request them.
- People are not required to vote in every race or every issue on the ballot. The scanner will not alert you of instances in which you did not vote.
- If voters are in line at 7 p.m., they will be allowed to vote. However, anyone arriving at the polling place after 7 p.m. will not be allowed to vote.
- People are urged to ask poll workers for any assistance during the voting process as they are trained to help you and answer any questions.
- To find your voting precinct, click here.