Absentee Ballot

If you are a qualified, registered Liberty County voter, you are entitled to vote by absentee ballot.

One request shall be deemed sufficient to receive an absentee ballot for all elections in the next two election cycles unless the elector or the elector's designee indicates at the time the request is made, the elections for which the elector desires to receive an absentee ballot. Such request may be considered canceled when any first-class mail sent by the supervisor to the elector is returned as undeliverable. Absentee requests are good only for that election year; requests must be updated by the voter yearly.

IMPORTANT NEW LEGISLATION - The deadline to request an absentee ballot to be mailed is up to the sixth day (Wednesday) before the election.

The supervisor may accept a request for an absentee ballot from an elector in person, in writing, or by telephone. The voter may directly instruct an immediate family member or legal guardian to request an absentee ballot on their behalf. The person making the request must provide the name for whom the ballot is requested, as well as the address and birthdate of the voter. The requester must also give their name, address, driver's license number and their relationship to the voter for whom the request is made.  If requesting in person, a signature must be provided.

As an alternative, pursuant to Florida law, a qualified voter may vote in person at the Supervisor of Elections Office fifteen days prior to an election. This is called Early Voting.  When you vote the ballot, you will depost the ballot directly in an M-100 tabulator or cast your vote on an iVotronic touchscreen unit.  The voter must present a picture/signature identification when voting in person and sign an Early Voter Certificate. If the voter cannot present a picture/ signature identification, the voter will still be able to vote by casting a provisional ballot.  The office is open Monday thru Friday and two Saturdays before each election from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.

Absentee ballots will be mailed as soon as they are received from the printer, approximately 20-30 days prior to the election, to those electors who have requested an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots cannot be forwarded. Be sure the elections office has your correct mailing address.

Pursuant to Florida law, a designee may only pick up an absentee for an elector five (5) days prior to an election. The absentee voter may designate in writing another person to obtain the ballot for them. The designee may only pick up two (2) absentee ballots per election other than their own or a member of their immediate family. All required information must be furnished and the designee must provide picture identification and complete an affidavit.

The voter must follow the instructions by signing the Voter's Certificate.  A witness is no longer required.  These instructions are included with the ballot. The ballot shall be rejected as illegal if all information is not conformed with.

Voted absentee ballots must be received in the Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m. ET election day. An absentee ballot may be returned to the supervisor of elections by the voter, designee of the voter, or by mail. There are exception for overseas voter (See Overseas Voter to the right).  A voted absentee cannot be accepted at a polling place.

MILITARY & OVERSEAS VOTER INFORMATION
Military and overseas voters may apply for voter registration and/or request absentee ballots with a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) which may be obtained from the Unit Voting Officer.  An On-line Federal Post Card Application (OFPCA) may also be completed, printed and signed, then mailed to the Supervisor of Elections address below.  If the FPCA is not available, phone or send a written request to the Supervisor of Elections Office.  NEW - An absentee request made on a FPCA is good through two General Elections.  Therefore, it is important that you update our office with your current mailing address in order for ballots to reach you in a timely manner.  For more information on the registration and absentee request process for military and overseas voters from Florida, please review the Voting Assistance Guide.

NOTE: Spouses and dependents are considered to be of the same category of absentee voter as military or overseas members and generally should follow the same rules.

U.S. Embassies and Consulates can assist in completing  and mailing FPCA forms, absentee ballots and other election materials. Additional election information is available from: 

FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Department of Defense
Washington, D.C. 20301-1155
1-800-438-VOTE
www.fvap.gov

OVERSEAS VOTERS
It is important that requests for absentee ballots by overseas voters be received in a timely manner in order to allow adequate time for the request to be processed and the ballot sent.  If you are currently registered in our county, you may request your absentee ballot by telephone, mail, fax or by e-mail (See below). If you are requesting your ballot by mail, fax or e-mail the following must be included in the request:

• the name of the voter requesting the ballot,
• the voter's county of legal residence in Florida,
• the voter's date of birth,
• the election the request is for,
• one of the following:                                                   1) If ballot is to be mailed, an APO/FPO or other deliverable overseas address, OR                              2) If ballot is to be faxed, a fax number with all international prefixes included where return information will be received, OR                                                 3) If ballot is to be transmitted by e-mail, your e-mail address.  IMPORTANT:  You can only return your ballot to the Supervisor of Elections by mail or by fax. A ballot returned by e-mail will not be accepted.  (See below)
• The voter's signature (fax & mail requests only)         

You may use a FPCA or an OFPCA (See above) but be sure to indicate the method you would like your ballot delivered.  If you desire the ballot be sent by e-mail, please indicate your e-mail address in the Remarks section. 

Allow time for delivery depending on the country you are residing in.  Please vote your ballot as soon as it arrives.  IMPORTANT: Follow the instructions included with the ballot and return the ballot as soon as possible.  If you plan to return your ballot by fax, a fax transmittal sheet is recommended.  For fastest delivery, fax your ballot directly to our office at 850-643-5648.  If you choose to send your ballot through the Department of Defense by using one of the fax number listed on the fax transmittal sheet, please allow some additional time for your ballot to be forwarded to our office.  IMPORTANT:  We must receive your voted ballot AND your signed Voter's Certificate in order for your ballot to count.  For all races on the ballot to be counted, the ballot must be received in the Election's office by 7:00 p.m. ET election day. 

• Federal portions of general election and presidential preference primary ballots voted by persons outside the U.S. are counted if postmarked or signed & dated no later than election day and received within 10 days of the election.

Have any questions?  Call, write, fax, e-mail or come see us at:

LIBERTY COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OFFICE