Name: So you want to vote by mail in Florida? Here’s what you need to know.
Brand: tampabay.com
SKU: tampabay-com-161
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

So you want to vote by mail in Florida? Here’s what you need to know.

preview

/Some elections officials say some of the political rhetoric has caused confusion about Florida’s longstanding mail voting system.Voting by mail is no new phenomenon in Florida. But it’s getting renewed attention amid the coronavirus pandemic.In recent months, local elections supervisors across the state have been promoting this option as a safe alternative to in-person voting, with some counties even sending mail ballot request forms to all registered voters who haven’t already requested mail ballots. That includes Pinellas County, which sent forms earlier this year to about 390,000 active registered voters who did not already have mail ballot requests on file.Hillsborough County, seeing the interest in people ordering from restaurants amid the pandemic, launched an initiative with a handful of restaurants to include flyers promoting vote by mail with takeout and delivery orders. It also sent 660,000 ballot request forms to voters who hadn’t already requested mail ballots.But at the same time, the voting method has become suddenly more controversial and partisan nationwide as President Donald Trump and others have attacked the expanded use of mail ballots.Some elections officials say some of the rhetoric has caused confusion about Florida’s longstanding mail voting system.Here are some of the basic facts about how to request a mail ballot in Florida and how the process works.How do I request a vote-by-mail ballot?Voters can call or visit their county supervisor of elections office, fill out a written request and send it in, or fill out a request form online. Each county elections office in Florida has a link to an online vote-by-mail request form.Voters will need to provide their name, address and date of birth. If the request is made in writing and is to an address other than the one on file, you will also need to provide your signature.What’s the difference between a vote-by-mail ballot and an absentee ballot?Nothing. In Florida, the term “absentee ballot” was replaced by “vote-by-mail ballot” in state statutes in 2016 because it more accurately reflects the fact that Florida does not require voters to have an excuse (such as being absent) to vote by mail.Do I need an excuse to vote by mail?No. Beginning in 2002, Florida began allowing anyone who wants a mail ballot to request one. You do not need to be out of town or sick or have any other excuse to request a ballot.You must, however, be a registered voter who registered to vote by the voter registration deadline for the election. The deadline for the November general election was Oct. 5, so if you are not already a registered voter, it is too late to cast a ballot for the 2020 general election.How long does my request stand?In general, requests for mail ballots stand through the calendar year of two general elections. That means that if you requested vote-by-mail ballots ahead of the 2016 general election, you may need to make the request again unless you’ve already said you want to continue voting by mail.Is there a deadline to request a mail ballot?The deadline to request a ballot be mailed to you has already passed for the November general election.However, voters can choose to pick up a mail ballot from their county elections office through the day before the election. (Voters can also request a mail ballot on Election Day in the event of an emergency.)How do I check to make sure I have a request for a mail ballot on file?Voters can call their county elections office or check to see whether their request for a mail ballot is listed on file.How many people vote by mail?Roughly 30 percent of the people who voted in the 2016 and 2018 general elections voted by mail in Florida. During the 2020 presidential preference primary, which came amid the coronavirus pandemic, the use of vote by mail surged to about 45 percent of the overall vote. During August’s primary, about 60 percent of the votes were cast by mail ballot.What if I request a mail ballot but want to vote in person?Voters who request a mail ballot can still choose to vote in person instead, elections officials say.A voter choosing to instead vote in person should bring their mail ballot with them to the voting site and hand it in. Election workers will mark the mail ballot as canceled and provide the voter with a regular ballot.If poll workers cannot confirm that a voter has not already voted by mail, the voter may have to vote by provisional ballot, meaning the canvassing board would decide later whether to count the vote.Many county elections officials are encouraging people to request a mail ballot so they have options about how they want to vote in August and November.“We want them to request the ballot so they at least have it,” said Trish Robertson, public relations officer for the Collier County Supervisor of Elections.When would I need to return my completed mail ballot?Mail-in ballots must be received – not postmarked – by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.I’ve been reading about budget issues with the U.S. Postal Service. Should I be worried about my mail ballot?The U.S. Postal Service will play perhaps an even more critical role in this election as more ballots are expected to be cast by mail.But Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford law professor and the co-director of the Healthy Elections project, said it’s unclear under “what sort of strain the post office will find itself come the fall,” particular given the organization’s longstanding funding woes.Operational changes made in recent months at the Postal Service appear to have slowed down mail delivery in some parts of the country.That adds even more weight to exhortations for voters to request their mail ballots early and to return them well before Election Day.The Postal Service has said that, while most first-class mail is delivered in 2-5 days, “voters should mail their return ballots at least one week prior to the due date established by state law.”“We tell people, two weeks prior to the election, you need to be getting it in,” said Mark Andersen, supervisor of elections in Bay County. He said that gives time for any delays in mailing and more time for people to cure any issues, like a mismatched signature, that could stop the ballot from being counted.Voters not wanting to put their filled-out ballots back in the mail can drop off their completed ballots at designated county spots. Again, the deadline is 7 p.m. on Election Day.Do I need to go out and get stamps just to vote this way?Only some counties in Florida provide return postage on vote-by-mail ballots, although a growing number are opting to do so amid the coronavirus pandemic. For those that don’t, postage costs can vary.Both Pinellas and Pasco counties are starting to pay for return postage amid the pandemic, while Hillsborough County has already been paying for return postage for a number of years. Hernando County does not currently pay for return postage for mail ballots.But while the U.S. Postal Service stresses that appropriate postage be affixed, it has long had a policy of not delaying election mail due to insufficient postage. In many cases when that happens, the post office will deliver the mail and charge the county elections office.Does Florida have drop boxes for mail ballots?State requires voters with mail ballots to be able to physically return their ballots to secure drop boxes at their county supervisor of elections offices and at early voting sites. Some counties have also chosen to add drop boxes in other locations, as well.Some counties offer 24-hour drop boxes or drive-through sites.Voters should check with their county supervisor of elections office for locations, hours and days the drop boxes are available.I’ve heard about problems with mail ballots not arriving or not being counted. How would I know whether my ballot was counted?After putting their filled-in ballot in the mail, voters can track to see whether their county supervisor of elections office has received their mailed ballots.If a mail ballot is not accepted, due to a signature mismatch or other issue, the elections office is required to notify the voter and provide the voter with an opportunity to “cure” the issue so it can be counted. A vote-by-mail cure affidavit must be submitted by 5 p.m. two days after the election.Wait, my signature has to match what?Elections officials look at the signature on the mail ballot envelope and compare it to the signature on file to see if it matches. That makes it important for voters to make sure the signature on file is updated.Daniel Smith, a University of Florida political science professor who specializes in elections, has found that mail ballots are more likely to be rejected than ballots cast in person, and that the main reasons mail ballots were rejected were because of missing or mismatched signatures.Smith has found that rejection rates varied widely by county and often disproportionately affect younger people and minorities.Florida law recently changed to provide more time for voters to cure their mail ballots and requires elections officials to try to reach the voter by phone, email, text message and usually by mail to let them know if their ballot was rejected so they can try to cure the issue. The mail ballot envelope was modified to include spaces for voters to put their contact information.Why is President Trump against expanded voting by mail?President Trump, who himself has voted by mail, has repeatedly attacked expanded use of mail-in ballots, alleging a “tremendous potential for voter fraud.” He threatened on Twitter earlier this year to withhold federal funding for Michigan for its decision to send absentee voter applications to all registered voters.He’s also tweeted that California’s plan to send all voters in the state mail-in ballots for the general election would result in a “rigged election.” He argued without evidence that it would result in mail boxes being robbed and ballots being fraudulently signed. Twitter later added labels to those tweets, saying they contained “potentially misleading information about voting processes.”Trump has said he thinks mail voting should be reserved for those who have an excuse to need to do so.Trump has also made comments that appear to signal a concern that greater access to voting by mail could increase turnout and aid Democrats.But Trump also lauded Florida’s vote-by-mail system in a tweet in August, ahead of the state’s primary.Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True. Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot &amp; Vote by Mail! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)Still, some elections supervisors have noted instances where Trump’s comments about mail voting have actually stopped voters from signing up for mail voting in recent months. For instance, the Broward County supervisor of elections office has had a handful of people who had previously registered to vote by mail call and say they want to remove their request for a mail ballot after hearing the president say it was a fraudulent voting method, said Steve Vancore, a spokesman for the office.How common is fraud?Elections experts say that fraud related to mail ballots is more common than it is with in-person voting, but say it’s still uncommon.Experts note that voting fraud in general is rare in the United States. Some point out that states that have all-mail elections have reported very little fraud.Still, there have been examples across the country of voter fraud related to mail ballots over the years. And the Times has noted that some strict requirements used in other states on mail ballots are not in place in Florida.This site no longer supports your current browser. Please use a modern and up-to-date browser version for the best experience. — — —

/Some elections officials say some of the political rhetoric has caused confusion about Florida’s longstanding mail voting system.Voting by mail is no new phenomenon in Florida. But it’s getting renewed attention amid the coronavirus pandemic.In recent months, local elections supervisors across the state have been promoting this option as a safe alternative to in-person voting, with some counties even sending mail ballot request forms to all registered voters who haven’t already requested mail ballots. That includes Pinellas County, which sent forms earlier this year to about 390,000 active...

public

Allison Ross

Florida's largest newspaper with 14 Pulitzer Prizes. Have story ideas or tips? DM us. Support our local journalism: http://tbtim.es/subscribe

So you want to vote by mail in Florida? Here’s what you need to know.

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS