Election day in Manatee County: Here are five tips to make voting easier

A little preparation can go a long way at the polls.

As of Sunday night, more than 96,500 Manatee County residents visited an early-voting station or submitted a mail-in ballot. Thousands of other civic-minded men and women will visit a polling station between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Debbie Scott, executive assistant to Manatee’s supervisor of elections, shared five tips to help residents secure their votes and save time.

Anyone with questions can call the Supervisor of Elections Office at 941-741-3823.

“Every election is different,” she said. “In August, the primary was a higher turnout than it had been in many, many years. I think it’s safe to assume the turnout will be higher in this general election than it was in previous, non-presidential elections.”

Know your precinct

There are 70 polling stations in Manatee County — none are at the supervisor’s office.

“It’s a problem for the voter who shows up here, thinking they can vote,” Scott said. “We’ve answered that question 1,000 times.”

However, residents can drop off their mail-in ballot at the office until 7 p.m. The office is located at 600 301 Blvd. W., in Bradenton.

To find their designated precinct, residents can visit votemanatee.com and click “Where Do I Vote?” To track a mail-in ballot, click “Vote By Mail & Early Voting” on the website’s left-hand column, and then click “Track Your Vote By Mail Ballot.”

Residents who visit the wrong precinct may have to submit a provisional ballot, which is later reviewed by the Canvassing Board.

Bring identification

Scott said a driver’s license is the most common form of identification used at the polls, but voters have nearly a dozen other options.

Voters are required to bring a valid photo ID and signature. According to the Florida Division of Elections, acceptable forms of ID include:

• A Florida driver’s license
• A Florida ID card from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• A U.S. Passport
• A debit or credit card
• A military ID card
• A student ID card
• A retirement center ID card
• A neighborhood association ID card
• A public assistance ID card
• A veteran health ID card from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
• A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm
• An employee ID card from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the federal government, the state, the county or a municipality

Those who arrive without a valid ID can submit a provisional ballot.

“The local canvassing board will simply compare your signature on the provisional ballot certificate with the signature on your voter registration record,” according to the state Division of Elections.

Arrive early

High turnout and a packed ballot could mean long lines on election day.

The Constitution Revision Commission, which meets every 20 years, effected the longest list of proposed constitutional changes since 1998. Naturally, the ballots will take longer to assess and fill out.

Anyone in line by 7 p.m. is eligible to vote, but Scott recommended arriving sooner than later.

“People don’t think about voting until it’s time to vote,” she said.

Check your address

It’s not too late for people who recently moved to Manatee from another Florida county.

Scott urged new residents to call the supervisor’s office at 941-741-3823 to have their addresses updated on election day.

“If they go to their polling location at five minutes to 7 p.m., it’s going to take them awhile to get that taken care of,” she said. “The earlier in the day they get it changed, the better.”

Be vigilant

Voters should be wary of unsolicited messages.

Misleading text messages and robocalls — possible attempts to curb voters — were noted in other parts of Florida. In Okaloosa and Taylor counties, some voters were falsely told their absentee ballots never arrived.

Double-check messages about the location of polls or the status of ballots.

Though none rose to the level of a scam, Scott said plenty of Manatee residents have received unwanted messages.

“I’ve had a lot of people complaining about text messages from candidates,” she said. “I don’t know where they’re getting those phone numbers.”

This story was originally published November 5, 2018 at 2:26 PM.