Even if you’ve voted by mail before, Florida voters are now required to request a vote-by-mail ballot every election cycle.
“If they voted by mail in 2022, we will not automatically send them one in 2024," said Collier County Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier. "They have to reach back out to the supervisor of elections office, and they've got to request that ballot.”
New Florida legislation also requires additional personal information when requesting vote-by-mail ballots, including the last four digits of social security numbers and full Florida drivers’ license numbers. Blazier notes that this is another step to ensure voter security.
"We need that information in order to verify that the requester is actually the requester," said Blazier. "We need that personal identifying information, which is frustrating for some of our voters that they're having to give us all of that information, but what I've been telling voters over the past few months is we already have the information on file. We're just really confirming the information with them."
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is 5 p.m. on August 8, 2024.
Ballots can be requested through any county’s Supervisor of Elections website, by mail, email, in-person, or by using a State of Florida vote-by-mail request form.
If a mistake is made on a vote-by-mail ballot, another can be requested.
"By law, voters can request up to three ballots, should they make mistakes," said Blazier.
"Same thing happens when you're in person during early voting, or on election day. If you're in the voting booth and you make a mark in the wrong oval, you can request a replacement ballot right there."
Ballots must be returned during early voting August 10 – 17, 2024, or on Election Day, August 20, 2024, before 7 p.m.
How to Request a Vote-by-Mail Ballot
A request for a vote-by-mail ballot may be made in one of the following ways:
- By signed writing, using Form DS-DE 160 (Statewide Vote-by-Mail ballot Request Form) (e.g., mail, fax, or scanned attachment to an email) to Supervisor of Elections,
- In person at Supervisor of Elections' office, or
- By phone to Supervisor of Elections
The request must include the following information:
- The voter's name,
- The voter’s date of birth,
- The voter’s address (A signed written request is required if the address is different that the address on file. An exception exists for absent uniformed service voter or an overseas voter seeking a vote-by-mail ballot.),
- The voter’s Florida driver license, Florida identification card, or last four digits of the voter's social security number, whichever may be verified in the supervisor’s records, and
- The voter’s signature (if the request is written).
Lee County Supervisor of Elections
Collier County Supervisor of Elections
Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections
Charlotte County Supervisor of Elections
Hendry County Supervisor of Elections
DeSoto County Supervisor of Elections
Glades County Supervisor of Elections
How to Track Your Vote-by-Mail Ballot Request and Returned Ballot
Any voter who has requested a vote-by-mail ballot can track online the status of his or her ballot through the county Supervisor of Elections' website or access the county-specific link on our webpage Vote-by-Mail Ballot Information and Status Lookup.
The United States Postal Service also provides a free service (register online) called Informed Delivery that allows a voter to see in advance a digital image of the address side of certain mail pieces such as a requested vote-by-mail ballot that will arrive at the voter’s mailing address. Other options, if time does not allow for timely return by mail, include in person delivery, secure ballot intake stations designated by county’s Supervisor of Elections, or expedited or special courier services.
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