Do you want to vote by mail in Manatee County? Here’s what you need to know

If mail-in voting is new to you, or you didn’t specifically request a mail-in ballot for any election other than primaries in August, Manatee County voters will need to request their ballot for the Nov. 3 election sooner rather than later.

The coronavirus pandemic led to a significantly larger number of mail-in ballots for the primaries than for past elections. As many as 800 voters learned the hard way about mail-in deadlines.

About 400 of those ballots were not counted because they were mailed too late.

“it’s not the post office that made these ballots late,” Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett said. “The voter waited until Election Day to mail their ballot.”

Bennett said some voters may have been under the impression that a mail-in ballot postmarked by election day makes it valid, but that’s not the case.

“Per Florida Statute, ballots are accepted at the secure ballot drop box located outside of my office up to 7 p.m. on Election Day, not postmarked Election Day,” Bennett said.

The U.S. Postal Service recommends voters mail their ballots at least a week before the deadline.

Once voters receive their mail-in ballots, they can be filled out and mailed back to the elections office at 600 301 Blvd. W. Suite 108, at any time as long as they are received by Election Day.

Everyone in Florida who is a registered voter is entitled to vote by mail.

Local voters must first request that ballot by going to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office’s website at votemanatee.com and fill out an online application, email a request, call the elections office or visit in person.

All requests must be completed no later than 10 days before Election Day. Requests must contain the following information:

• Name of voter for whom the ballot is requested.
• Voter’s address.
• Voter’s date of birth.
• The name of who is requesting the ballot, with address, and driver’s license number if available.
• The requester’s relationship to the voter and requester’s signature, if the request is in writing.

Just because you request a mail-in ballot, doesn’t mean you have to use it. If for some reason you change your mind and want to vote in person, or if you are concerned you may be mailing it in too late, you can bring the mail-in ballot to a polling station. The ballot will be canceled in the system and you will be allowed to vote in person.

If for some reason, you don’t have your mail-in ballot when you go in person, poll workers can verify if your mail-in ballot has been received and already counted and you will be allowed to vote. If your mail-in ballot has been received and counted, you will not be allowed to vote.

Starting Sept. 28, mail-in ballots will start being sent to local voters who have requested them.

If you won’t be at your Manatee County address to receive a mail-in ballot, call 941-741-3823 to make other arrangements.

Veterans and residents currently overseas are allowed to receive a mail-in ballot via email, if they have not already applied for an absentee ballot, and should contact the elections office to verify qualifications. Those residents may also request a mail-in ballot using the Federal Post Card Application system at fvap.gov.

To ask questions, call the Manatee County elections office at 941-741-3823.

This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 5:00 AM.