FLORIDA, USA — After surging during the COVID-19 pandemic, voting by mail has remained widespread with roughly one-third of votes in the 2022 midterm elections being cast by mail.
Due to a 2021 change in Florida law, all existing vote-by-mail requests were voided after the 2022 midterm elections, and the rules changed so that vote-by-mail requests are only good for one election cycle as opposed to two.
So, if you're planning to cast your vote and want to take advantage of the convenience and accessibility of a mail-in ballot, you have to make sure you've filed your ballot request.
Requesting your ballot
The key to requesting a vote-by-mail ballot is contacting your county's elections supervisor. Florida's Division of Elections provides a handy page for finding your supervisor and all of their contact information.
Ballot requests can be made over the phone, via e-mail, mail, fax, or by requesting one in person at the supervisor's office. If your request is written, it has to include your signature (if you're requesting via email, scan a letter with your signature and send it in as an attachment). If it is done by mail, it is highly recommended you mail out the request sooner rather than later.
Your request must include your full name and date of birth, your current mailing address, and either your ID card number, Florida driver's license number or the last four digits of your social security number.
Make sure you are fully registered to vote within your county and that the information your county has on file about you is accurate and current.
If necessary, someone else can request a ballot for you as long as they include their own identification information and their relationship to you on the request. They also need to add their signature to any written requests.
Deadlines
All requests for vote by mail ballots need to be sent in 10 days before an election. From there, your ballot should be sent to you within two days. All filled-out ballots need to be returned to your county supervisor of elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, or they will not be counted.
You can submit your completed ballot by mail or in person, or you can drop it off at a staffed secure ballot intake box if your polling precinct is offering them during the early voting period.
Under state law, you are also allowed to turn in ballots for family members and a maximum of two people who aren't related to you.
Ballot Curing
Since you cannot fix a mistake on your ballot after you submit it, make sure you check it over and verify your responses. Also make sure your information on the form is accurate, that it matches what the county elections supervisor has on your file, and that you include your signature on the return envelope you send it in (which is provided along with the ballot).
If there are discrepancies in your signature or personal information or other information needs to be provided, the elections supervisor will send you a "cure affidavit" which will allow you to fix your ballot in order for it to be counted. This can be done up to 2 days after the election.
