Vote By Mail

The Lee County Supervisor of Elections office is now using BallotTrax to keep voters updated on the status of their vote-by-mail ballots.

There are three different ways that registered Florida voters can vote: by mail, in-person at early voting sites in their county, or in-person at their assigned polling location on Nov. 8, Election Day.

Despite new restrictions on voting adopted by the state legislature in 2021, more than 2.23 million Floridians took advantage of voting by mail or early voting in Tuesday’s primary election.In the most closely watched race of the Aug. 23 primary, U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist defeated Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in the general election. We’ll get analysis of results and what they set up for the general election and beyond with FGCU political scientist Dr. Peter Bergerson.

Early voting for Florida’s Aug. 23 Primary Election begins next week. Dates, times, and locations to cast a ballot early in-person vary depending on where voters are registered. For example, the early voting window begins Monday, Aug. 8, for registered voters in Charlotte and Hendry Counties, but early voting in Collier, Glades, Lee, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties doesn’t begin until Saturday, Aug. 13. This article includes a county-by-county breakdown of early voting dates, times, and locations across Southwest Florida.

The Collier County Supervisor of Elections Office conducted its logic and accuracy testing of voting equipment and held the first canvassing board meeting in preparation for the Aug. 23 primary election. Testing of ballot tabulation equipment is required under Florida statute before every election.

Monday, July 25, is the voter registration deadline for anyone looking to cast a ballot in Florida’s Aug. 23 primary election. In recent years, the Florida legislature has passed changes to some sections of Florida’s election code including new restrictions on absentee voting.

As the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act sits stalled in the U.S. Senate, Florida’s Senate Bill 90 has been challenged in a federal lawsuit. Each promises to enact several changes to how votes are cast and counted in the United States. This story provides explanatory context and background.

Andrea Perdomo reports from a Punta Gorda polling location where there are no lines and plenty of parking.

Bars in Florida will be permitted to reopen at 50% capacity starting Monday, Sept. 14. The AP reports, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears issued the emergency order, Thursday, at the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

State health officials reported 3,779 new cases of COVID-19, Sunday, increasing the statewide total to 573,416 cases. Aug. 16 marked the lowest single-day increase in cases of the virus so far this month, and marked the first time in August, health officials have reported fewer than 4,000 new cases in a day.The Florida Department of Health also reported 107 new coronavirus-related deaths, yesterday, bringing the statewide death toll to 9,452 fatalities.