Voting by mail for the upcoming August primary? Take these steps to be certain your vote is counted.
In an election cycle where every single vote will matter, here are a few things you need to know if you have signed up to vote by mail in Charlotte County.
Ballots Have Been Mailed. If you requested a vote by mail ballot, you should have received it by now. According to the Charlotte County Supervisor of Elections website, “vote by mail ballots for Military and Overseas citizens are mailed no later than 45 days in advance of the election. For domestic voters, the initial batch of vote by mail ballots are mailed out between the 35th and 28th days prior to an election to those voters who have already requested them. Subsequent mailings will be mailed out on a daily basis as new requests are received.” If you requested, but haven’t received a vote by mail ballot, contact the Supervisor of Elections immediately.
Complete the Ballot Per the Precise Instructions Provided. Once you receive the ballot, fill it in per the instructions, which are very specific. For instance, only blue or black ink is acceptable and you must sign and date the outside envelope. Check the instructions that are included with the materials you receive to make sure you’ve done it all correctly. You must also provide your own stamp!
Return your Ballot by the Deadline. Vote by mail ballots must be mailed, or delivered in person, reaching the Supervisor of Elections’ main office in Punta Gorda in the old Courthouse Building downtown no later than 7 p.m. on the day of the election or by 5 p.m. at the branch offices in the Murdock Administration Building or in the West County Annex on San Casa Drive.
Check to Be Sure Your Ballot Was Received. Finally, check to be sure your vote by mail ballot has actually been received. You can by track the status of your ballot through the online voter registration lookup link at: http://registration.elections.myflorida.com/CheckVoterStatus.
For more on this topic, go here. If you have any questions regarding your own individual voting rights or process, contact the Charlotte County Supervisor of Elections office immediately. Click here or call (941) 833-5400 for more information.
In a democracy, every vote matters. So make sure yours is counted.
