Updated 7/19/23: Post now includes QR codes and information for all states
Florida cancelled all standing requests for mail-in ballots effective January 1, 2023. Florida law SB-90, passed in 2021, imposed new rules on mail-in voting, effectively wiping out all existing applications for absentee ballots. If you are a Florida resident who wishes to vote by mail in upcoming elections, you must now re-apply in order to receive a mail-in ballot. You will not automatically receive one. And you will have to renew your request with every new election cycle.
Proponents of SB-90 argue that these restrictions are necessary to restore confidence in the state’s electoral system. Critics argue that the law unnecessarily disenfranchises voters and creates particular hardships for voters who are older, disabled and/or mobility-restricted. Mail-in voting is popular in Florida: In the last election, one in three Floridians voted by mail.
Another change included in SB-90: When you request your absentee ballot, you must include the last four digits of your Social Security number, or your drivers license number or number on other state-issued ID. If these items are not on file with the Supervisor of Elections, you may encounter additional difficulties. Therefore, you are well advised to re-apply for mail-in voting well in advance, to be sure you’re all set to vote by mail in 2024.
Voting advocates are expressing concerned that people accustomed to receiving their mail-in ballots are not aware of these developments. For example, in Miami-Dade, 438,000 vote-by-mail requests expired on January 1, but as of January 31 only 24,000 had renewed their mail-in ballot request.
Florida: How To Renew Your Mail-In Ballot Request or Request One For The First Time
Refer to your county’s Supervisors of Elections office to check your voter status and request that you be sent a mail-in ballot. Here are the websites of the Supervisors of Elections in our immediate area:
or use QR code:
For counties not listed above, click here.
An immediate family member may request a ballot on your behalf. He/she will be required to submit certain personal information, too.
States Other Than Florida: Check Your Voter Registration Status
National Association of Secretaries of State/Can I Vote
Please share this important information with your family, friends and neighbors!
