How to vote by mail in Florida. Deadlines, who's eligible, and what to do with your ballot

Can't make it to the polling place this year to cast your vote in person? No problem! You can vote by mail.

Vote-by-mail ballots, previously called absentee ballots, are great for voters who have scheduling problems, find traveling difficult, or will be out of state or overseas on Election Day.

Here's what you need to know.

How does voting by mail work in Florida?

Once you request to vote by mail, you will receive ballots for all primaries and elections in which you're eligible to vote for the end of the calendar year. If you wish, you can request ballots for just specific elections, like the General Election on November 5, which will include the presidential election. You must renew your request every year.

Your ballot will be mailed to your current residential address so make sure the information you provide is up to date. State law prohibits forwarding of ballots. If a vote-by-mail ballot is returned as undeliverable during any election, your vote-by-mail request will be canceled and you'll have to confirm or update your current residential address before you can get another.

When the vote-by-mail ballots are ready, your county Supervisor of Elections will mail it out to you. You'll get the same ballot you would have gotten if you'd gone to your polling place, plus an envelope. Follow the instructions carefully, especially about your signature. Failure to complete it properly could result in your vote not getting counted.

When does early voting start in Florida? Dates, times differ county-by-county, here's the list

How do I request to vote by mail in Florida?

Contact your local Supervisor of Elections and request it. You can do that in person, at the county elections website, by mail, email, fax or by phone.

You must request your own or have a legal guardian or designated member of your immediate family do it for you. That means your spouse, parent, child, grandparent or sibling, or the parent, child, grandparent or sibling of your spouse.

You'll need to provide:

• Your name

• Your address

• Your driver license number, state identification card, or the last four digits of your Social Security number (if available),

• If you are filling it out for someone else, your relationship to the voter

• Your signature (if the request is written)

Who can vote by mail in Florida?

Under state law, all registered voters are allowed to vote by mail. You do not have to provide a reason and there are no eligibility requirements.

To request a ballot, you must be:

• A voter

• The voter's immediate family member (i.e., voter’s spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling)

• The voter’s spouse's parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling

• The voter’s legal guardian

• A designee for a voter with a disability

What if my ballot arrives damaged?

If your ballot arrives damaged, contact your county's Supervisor of Elections office to get a replacement.

What's the deadline to request a vote by mail ballot in Florida?

The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot from your county's election office for the Nov. election is 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24.

What’s the deadline to mail my ballot in Florida?

Vote-by-mail ballots must be completed and received by election officials by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. Drop it off well before then or mail it by Tuesday, Oct. 29 to give it plenty of time.

All vote-by-mail ballots must be mailed or physically dropped off, with one exception: overseas voters (civilian and military) have the option to return their ballot by mail or by fax. You can find more information on that at dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voting/military-and-overseas-citizens-voting/

If I haven’t mailed in my ballot, can I vote at a polling place on Election Day?

Yes. As long as you haven't submitted your vote-by-mail ballot, you can go to an early voting location or your polling precinct on Election Day and vote. You can turn over your uncompleted ballot for the poll workers to destroy, if you like, but it's not mandatory.

But do not vote in person AND mail in a ballot, as that violates Florida election law.

What mistakes do people make on vote-by-mail ballots?

Any of the following could result in your vote not being counted:

• Using the wrong ink. Use a black ink pen. Don't use light ink, pencils, or markers.

• Marking the ballot wrong. Vote for your preferred candidate by completely filling in the oval bubble next to their name. Don't go outside the lines, don't uses Xs, dots or checks. Do not write anywhere else on the ballot, with the exception of adding a write-in candidate where applicable.

• Making other marks on the ballot. You don't have to vote in every race on your ballot, but do not cross out any races or names, or make any other marks.

• Messing up your ballot. Don't bring food, drink or any other messy items nearby while you're filling out your ballot. Stains or residue may hinder counting machines from registering your votes. Do not cut, tear, wrinkle, tape or otherwise taint your ballot.

• Forget to sign your ballot. This is the most common mistake voters make. You must sign (not print) your legal name as it appears on your voting record where indicated, and date the return envelope.

Only one ballot may be returned per envelope.

What if I make a mistake or vote for the wrong person on my ballot?

Do not assume you can just cross it out and put the right vote in. Different counties may have different procedures. Some may tell you as long as the intent is clear which candidate you wanted to vote for when your ballot is flagged for review it's OK, but some may require you to get a replacement ballot.

The safest way to make sure your ballot goes through without problems is to request a replacement. Contact your local elections office to be sure.

What if the signature on my vote by mail ballot doesn’t match?

If there’s a problem with the signature on your ballot your elections office will contact you.

You’ll be asked to sign an affidavit in English or Spanish, which will then be reviewed by a canvassing board in a process called "curing." Ballots not cured by the vote-by-mail submission deadline won’t be counted. After being notified of any issues with your ballot, you'll have until 5 p.m. two days after Election Day to have it cured.

What if my signature has changed?

Signatures evolve. If yours has strayed noticeably from the one on file due to age, changes in how you write, or just because you type everything now, go to your county's elections office and update it. If you have a disability that prevents you from signing your name, you may use an identifying mark as your signature instead.

Can I drop off my vote by mail ballot in Florida?

You can mail it, you can drop it off at the Supervisor of Elections office, or you can drop it at any approved ballot drop box. Drop boxes are limited to the Elections office or at early voting sites and you only may submit your ballots during hours of operation when they can be monitored.

You may not hand your completed vote-by-mail ballot to poll workers.

Can someone drop off my vote-by-mail ballot for me?

Yes, with some restrictions.

Under Florida law, the number of signed, sealed ballots one person may possess is limited to two besides their own, except for immediate family members. Violation of this is a felony.

How can I make sure my ballot was counted in Florida?

You can — and should — verify that your ballot was received and counted by checking the Vote-by-Mail Ballot Information and Status Lookup in your county. You can find them all at dos.myflorida.com/elections.

When is the Florida General Election for 2024?

The general election in Florida is on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Vote by mail in Florida: How to request a ballot, common mistakes