VOTE-BY-MAIL FAQS
We realize we can't answer all questions on our website. So please feel free to call us at 407.585.VOTE (8683)
or email any specific questions to [email protected].
Did you know? In Seminole County, less than 1% of mail ballots were rejected for signature issues in the general elections of 2014, 2016, and 2018.
How can I request a vote-by-mail ballot?
You may request a vote-by-mail ballot by completing an online request form, by phone, in writing, or in person at the Supervisor of Elections Office. The last day to request a mail ballot be mailed to your address is 5:00 p.m. 12 days prior to an election. Voted mail ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day at the Supervisor of Elections office. Mail ballots cannot be forwarded to other addresses by the United States Postal Service.
May I request a vote-by-mail ballot for someone else?
Yes. You may request a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed to anyone in your immediate family or anyone for whom you are a legal guardian. Any request for a voter must include the voter's name, date of birth, address, and where the ballot is to be mailed. As well, the requestor must provide their name, address, relationship to the voter, and signature (written requests only). Please note that if a ballot is being sent to an address that is not on file with our office, only the voter may make the request and it MUST
contain the voter’s signature.
May I designate someone to pick up a mail ballot for me?
After vote-by-mail ballots have been mailed and up to 7 p.m. on Election Day, you can designate, in writing, someone to pick up your vote-by-mail ballot from our office. Your written request must include your name, residential address, mailing address (if any), date of birth, signature and election for which you are requesting a vote-by-mail ballot. The designee must show their photo identification and may pick up ballots for no more than two non-family members.
Download an Affidavit to Pick-Up Vote-by-Mail Ballot for a Voter
If your vote-by-mail ballot is picked up during the mandatory early voting period and up to 7 P.M. on Election Day, you or your designee have to complete Section 2 of the below Affidavit to affirm that you have an emergency that keeps you from being able to go to your assigned polling place or designated early voting site to vote. If the affidavit is completed by your designee, they must also submit the Affidavit to Pick-Up Vote-by Mail Ballot for a Voter.
Download the Vote-by-Mail Ballot Delivery Affidavit (See Section 2)
I recently moved and put a forwarding order on my mail. Will I receive my vote-by-mail ballot?
No, mail ballots cannot
be forwarded or held by the post office. If you have moved, you need to contact our office so we can send your mail ballot to the correct address. Per Florida Statute, you only have three ballots that can be issued to you. Sending a ballot to an undeliverable address counts as an issued ballot. As soon as you move, notify our office of your address change. This will ensure you receive your ballot in a timely manner.
May I vote by mail before Election Day?
Yes, in fact, you may return your completed vote-by-mail ballot the same day you receive it. We encourage you to request a vote-by-mail ballot as soon as possible. Vote-by-mail ballots are mailed about a month before Election Day.
Will my vote still count if I forgot to put the secrecy sleeve in the mail ballot envelope?
Yes. The secrecy sleeve is included in the packet as an option for you to use. If you don't include it in the returned ballot envelope, your vote will not be impacted.
I am uncomfortable with mailing my ballot with my signature showing on the outside. Is there anything that I can do about this?
You can put your signed envelope inside another envelope addresses to our office and mark on the outside of the second envelope “vote-by-mail ballot enclosed.” Beginning the day you receive your vote-by-mail ballot, you may deliver it in person to the Supervisor of Elections Office during regular business hours until Election Day at 7:00 p.m. Once early voting has begun, you may also deliver it to one of our Secure Ballot Intake Stations located at each of our early voting locations during early voting hours.
On the vote-by-mail envelope, there is a place for email, home telephone, and mobile telephone. Do I have to complete that in order to have my ballot count?
No, the only information that the voter must
provide is their signature. The other information is optional but gives our office a way to reach the voter if there is a signature issue with their ballot.
I have power of attorney for my mother, can I sign the mail ballot envelope on her behalf?
No, it is illegal to sign for someone else, no exceptions. All mail ballots must be signed by the voter, even if it is with their mark.
I forgot to sign my mail ballot envelope! Can I fix that?
Yes. If you returned your mail ballot but forgot to sign the envelope, or if the signature has been flagged for review, your ballot may not count unless you complete and return the Vote-by-Mail Ballot Cure Affidavit form with a copy of identification no later than 5 p.m. two days after the election. Please follow the instructions carefully as failure to follow the instructions may cause your ballot not to count. Voters who have a signature issue are notified by mail, email, and telephone, based on the information provided to our office by the voter.
Download the Vote-by-Mail Cure Affidavit
Will a vote-by-mail ballot be counted if it is postmarked on Election Day?
No, a vote-by-mail ballot is only counted if it is RECEIVED
in the Supervisor of Elections Office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count.
It’s getting close to Election Day and I want to make sure my ballot is received on time, what can I do?
You can drop off your signed envelope and ballot to our office during office hours or at any early voting location during early voting hours. You can also exchange it for an in-person ballot at any early voting location or at your assigned polling location on Election Day.
Does having a vote-by-mail ballot prevent me from voting in person?
No. You may surrender your mail ballot and vote in-person during early voting or on Election Day. Each person may receive up to three ballots per election, but may only cast one of those ballots.
Can I bring my vote-by-mail ballot to my precinct on Election Day?
Provided your vote-by-mail ballot is not your third and final ballot allowed per Florida law, you will be asked to surrender it and vote a new ballot at your precinct. Vote-by-mail ballots may only
be turned in at the Supervisor of Elections Office on Election Day before 7:00 p.m.
How do I know the Supervisor of Elections Office received my voted vote-by-mail ballot?
You can track the status of your vote-by-mail ballot on our official website www.TrackMyMailBallot.org
to see when your ballot was received by our office. If there are any issues with your signature, it will alert you and provide a link to the Mail Ballot Signature Affidavit.
Is my vote still secret if I vote-by-mail?
Yes. Recording your vote-by-mail ballot is a two-step process. Upon receiving your completed mail ballot envelope, we compare the signature on the outside of the envelope to the signature on your voter record. At that time, it is marked on your record that you have cast a ballot for the election and the unopened envelope with the ballot inside is stored in our vault. During canvassing, the ballots are separated from the mail ballot envelopes and run through our high-speed counters to count the votes. The only identifying numbers on the ballot are the style of ballot and your precinct number; your vote is secret and your selections are aggregated with the thousands of votes cast in your precinct.
Are vote-by-mail ballots only counted if the election is close?
No, vote-by-mail ballots are the first ballots tabulated. Florida law allows for the canvassing of vote-by-mail ballots up to 22 days prior to Election Day. While the ballots are canvassed in the presence of the County Canvassing Board, the results are not released until 7 p.m. on Election Night. The first results posted at our website, www.VoteSeminole.org, are the tabulated vote-by-mail and early voting results.
