110,000 ballots are in the mail to Manatee voters. You still have time to ask for yours

The Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office confirmed Thursday that mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 general election are on the way to area voters.

So far, 111,724 of the 112,022 ballots requested have been sent out.

That compares to 80,867 total mail-in ballots requested in Manatee for the 2016 general election, according to the elections office, an increase of more than 38%. The number of ballots requested so far represents almost 42% of the 268,705 registered voters in the county as of Thursday.

The final number could be much higher, as Manatee County voters still have a month to request a mail-in ballot. The statewide deadline for requests is 10 days before an election. In this case, requests must be made by 5 p.m. on Oct. 24. However, the U.S. Postal Service is advising voters to request ballots sooner, by Oct. 19, to ensure timely delivery.

Residents must first be registered to vote to request a mail-in ballot. The deadline to register is Oct. 5 for residents who want to participate in the Nov. 3 election.

Once registered, the elections office offers several options for making a mail-in ballot request. Manatee residents can request online at votemanatee.com, through email request (Info@votemanatee.com), by calling the elections office or scheduling a visit in person. Call 941-741-3823 for phone service and appointments.

Residents will need 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.

Military personnel and residents overseas can contact the elections office to request a vote-by-mail ballot via email. Residents who will not be at their Manatee County address to receive a mail-in ballot can contact the elections office to make other arrangements.

Returning a mail-in ballot

Once a voter receives a mail-in ballot and fills it out, there are several options for returning it.

Ballots can be sent through traditional mail (the postal service recommends mailing ballots back at least a week before election day).

Voters can also opt to deliver the ballot by hand to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office located at 600 301 Blvd. W., Bradenton. Ballots must be received by the close of polls at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3 to be counted.

Another option is to drop off a completed mail-in ballot at one of Manatee County’s six early voting locations during the designated early voting days and hours.

In the the upcoming election, early voting will be held on Oct. 19 through Nov. 1. from 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. at the following locations:

Any voter who has requested a mail-in ballot but not received it by the time election nears should contact the elections office at 941-741-3823.

The status of vote-by-mail ballots can be tracked online at votemanatee.com.