MEDIA ADVISORY: Early Voting Ends Saturday in Most Florida Counties

 This is the final weekend of early voting in Florida for the primary election, with the last day of statewide early voting on  Saturday, Aug. 20 . Some counties — including many of Florida’s largest counties — will also have early voting on Sunday, Aug. 21. 

Those counties with Sunday early voting include: 

• Broward
• Duval
• Hillsborough
• Leon
• Miami-Dade
• Palm Beach
• Orange
• Osceola
• Pinellas
• Sarasota

After the early voting period ends, voters can cast their ballots in-person at their assigned voting precinct on Tuesday, Aug. 23, Election Day, or drop off signed vote-by-mail ballots at their county supervisor of elections offices before 7 p.m. on Election Day.  Voters can look up their sample ballot and voter precinct information here.

In 2021, Senate Bill 90 (SB90) changed the state’s voter law, adding unnecessary provisions to the voting process, and in particular the vote-by-mail option. Common Cause Florida is among those challenging the constitutionality of these changes because of the disparate and harmful effect on Black voters and other voters of color. 

In the face of those changes, we suggest voters who vote-by-mail check the status of their ballot through online trackers provided by most county supervisors of elections offices. 

“Our democracy works best when we all have a say in shaping our communities, state and nation,“ said Common Cause Florida Program Director Amy Keith. “Every election is important, and I’m urging every Floridian who is eligible to vote to come out and cast a ballot in this year’s primary election.” 

This year’s Aug. 23 election includes non-partisan school board, judicial, and local races as well as primary elections to select party slates of state and federal candidates for the November 8th general election. All registered voters can cast votes in the non-partisan races, while only those registered with political parties can also vote in Florida’s closed party primaries.  

Voters who have any questions about the voting process or encounter problems can contact the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE. 

 

Voter Information for the 2022 Primary Election

 

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 Aug. 23, Election Day. 

Those who choose to vote by mail and received a ballot must:

• Sign the back of the ballot envelope. (Common Cause Florida suggests including a phone number or email to make it easier for the elections office to contact the voter if there is an issue with the signature.) 
•  Make sure the ballot is received by their county election office by 7 p.m., Tuesday Aug. 23 Postmark date is not enough. 

If there is a problem with the voter’s signature on their vote-by-mail ballot, the voter will be contacted by election officials and has until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25 to submit the paperwork to correct their signature. 

Note: Common Cause Florida recommends not mailing ballots back at this point, but dropping signed ballots off in Secure Ballot Intake Stations available at county elections offices and early voting sites during hours of operation. Voters can check to see if their ballots were received in the mail through online trackers provided by most county supervisor of elections’ offices.  

People can also vote early in-person at county early voting sites.

• Statewide early voting ends Saturday, Aug. 20, though some counties have early voting available on Sunday, Aug. 21 as well. Voters can look up early voting locations, dates and times through their county elections office here.
• Voters can use any early voting site in their county to vote in-person or drop mail-in ballots in Secure Ballot Intake Stations.
• You must provide a valid photo/signature ID to vote in-person in Florida during early voting or on election day. There are 12 acceptable forms of ID, with the list available here.

Those who want to vote in-person on Tuesday, Aug. 23, Election Day must:

• Bring valid (non-expired) photo/signature ID.
• Vote at the correct precinct for their current residence. Voters can look up their precincts here.
• Arrive at the polls during voting hours. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Any voter in line to vote at 7 p.m. must be allowed to vote.