VOTING 2024: What Has Changed and What You Should Know…

What Has Changed

Regarding exercising your right to vote, several revisions to Florida’s voting laws can directly impact your voting rights in coming elections. Key legislation has the potential to spoil your voting plans. Most specifically, Senate Bill 90 (often referred to as S.B. 90) became law after the Governor’s approval on May 06, 2021. Please read this blog post as an aid to your voting plans. Leon County, for example, has outlined some crucial changes to the voting laws and their corresponding action strategy. I have structured a brief outline of helpful information so that casting your vote will be a graceful ballot ballet.

Voter Registration

One thing is sure: voter registration reveals one lucid characteristic about voters. They adapt, change, and evolve in response to life’s stimuli. People change residential addresses, get married, and adopt new surnames (last names). They may even experience or decide on a specific political party affiliation. No big deal – we have evolved to an age where we can call or go online to exercise quick, seamless, and convenient voter registration and registration updates. As a caveat to this adaptation, change and evolution means we embrace new challenges and new possibilities for error. IDs may include outdated, misspelled, or misprinted information. With these things in mind, don’t delay forming plans to make necessary registration changes. Updating your voter registration over the phone or by way of the internet will require a Florida driver’s license, state ID card, or the last four digits of your social security number; moreover, if you are planning on making updates to your name or party affiliation, you will be required to use a paper voter registration application or RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov.

Vote-By-Mail Ballots

The timeframe for a voter to remain on the state’s vote-by-mail list (which allows a voter to receive a mail ballot automatically) has shortened. If you plan to vote with a mailed ballot, you can only request them through the next general election. When requesting a vote-by-mail ballot, you will need your Florida Driver’s License, state ID card, or the last four digits of your social security number.  Your written request must include your signature, and there are no alternatives if a voter does not have these identifications. We’ve also noted that the new law prohibits local and state officials from sending a mail ballot to voters who have yet to request one.

Vote-By-Mail Ballot Drop Off/Return

Are you looking to drop your ballot off? New specifications govern where, when, and how counties can offer drop boxes to you. S.B. 90 requires drop box locations solely at permanent county voting offices or an early voting location accessible only during early voting hours. Regardless of location, such boxes are to be staffed by a county employee — which is likely to restrict the hours of availability further. You can only bring two ballots at once to the Elections office (this limit does not include your ballot and the ballots of family members). Anyone who possesses two or more ballots can face legal implications. 

Now that I Have Planned How I Will Vote, Where and When Can I Vote?

Pasco County

According to the Pasco County website, you can vote early, by mail, or at your local precinct. With voting early, the website states the following: 

• You must vote in person at specified locations throughout Pasco County, 
• For specific dates and times, see the Early Voting Schedule, 
• Remember to bring a picture and signature identification such as your Florida Driver’s License or identification card. 

If voting by mail, Pasco County suggests a vote-by-mail ballot and to request one you can do the following:

• Call the elections’ office at (800) 851-8754 or use the online request form at a minimum of at least ten days before the election for your ballot; in addition,
• Consider that you have enough time to receive and return your mail-in ballot, 
• You will need the voter’s date of birth, address, last four digits of SSN, or the voter’s Florida Driver’s License or Florida ID number. 

When voting at your local precinct, polls open from 7 AM until 7 PM on Election Day. You will need your photo and signature ID.

Pasco County also wants you to be aware that you cannot vote in a precinct in which you do not reside; it is a felony. If you have experienced an address change, Pasco County says, “Please Contact the Supervisor of Elections’ office at the number above for your address to be updated or complete an online voter registration application.” 

Confirm Pasco County’s election dates now to avoid surprises and delays. Pasco County utilizes Bookclosing Dates, the statewide deadlines for voter registration, and political party designation changes if you are already registered.  

Hernando County

The Hernando County website lists four voting categories which include those who vote-by-mail, vote early, vote-in-person, and designations for military and oversees voters. When voting by mail, the county wants you to be prepared to consider the following:

• Registered voters of Hernando County may request a vote-by-mail ballot from Hernando County Supervisor of Elections, online, by mail, phone or fax,
• Only the voter or an immediate family member can request the ballot, 
• You will need the voter’s name, residential address, date of birth, voter’s signature, voter’s driver’s license number or last four of their social security number, and the address the ballot will be mailed to, if different from the residential address.
• Additionally, if an immediate family memer is requesting the ballot, they will need to provide the following: the address of the family member making the request, the relationship the requesting party has to the voter, driver’s license number or last four digits of the SSN of the requesting party, signature of the family member making the request (written requests only).
• If necessary, a voter can request in writing for someone to pick up a vote-by-mail ballot at the Supervisor of Elections office, but the designee must pick up the ballot within a maximum of five days prior to election day; the designee will be required to complete an affidavit found here Affidavit to Pick Up a Vote-By-Mail Ballot for Voter and a designee can only pick up two ballots per election unless he/she is a  family member of the voter, but there is no limit to the number of ballots he/she may return.

When voting early, Hernando County notes the following:

• The early voting period begins 15 days prior to election and ends 3 days prior to that election. Please be mindful of the elections dates, locations, and signature/photo ID requirements which can be found HERE.

As it pertains to voting in person in Hernando county, voters must go to their assigned polling location between 7 AM to 7 PM. Follow this link to confirm election dates, to verify assigned polling places, and ID requirements.

Hernando county also notes that provisions are available for military personnel to exercise their voting rights. Their website states the following:

“Military personnel and overseas voters may apply for voter registration and/or request vote by mail ballots with a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA).Military personnel may also obtain the FPCA from the Unit Voting Officer. (Spouses and dependents are considered to be of the same category of Vote-by-Mail voter as military members and generally should follow the same rules.)”

And lastly, many things can distract you from exercising your right to vote. Don’t allow these things to get in the way. Make a plan, and then make a backup to the original plan if those original plans derail. Notate what you will need in advance, and mark your calendar with important deadlines; whatever your plans, be intentional about your voice by being intentional about your vote.