We have received many emails and calls from many of you who are concerned about President Trump’s attacks on the United States Postal Service and its impact on the upcoming election in November. Trump has admitted that his efforts to defund the Postal Service are to suppress voter turnout in November, helping him avoid the consequences of his mismanagement of the country over the past 4 years.
We at SemDems are here to help you make sure your ballot is counted, and you and your family stay safe. Despite Trump’s actions, voting by mail remains the safest, easiest and, in our opinion, the best way for you to cast your ballot in November — especially during a pandemic. Florida’s Vote by Mail process is safe, efficient, and so good even Trump has asked for a mail-in ballot.
However, there are certain actions you need to take to make sure your ballot is counted this November.
1. Request Your Ballot Early
Under Florida law, you have until 10 days before the election to request a VBM ballot.
But with budget cuts and (seemingly deliberate) mismanagement of the United States Postal Service, this deadline will almost surely be too late to request your ballot. The USPS issued a warning to Florida that the current laws are set up to fail with the current system in place. You can request your Mail Ballot from the local Supervisor of Elections website, which you will receive roughly 2 weeks before Early Voting starts.
This extra time allows you to review our Voter Guide, research the candidates and issues, and return your ballot.
2. Check Your Ballot Status After Returning By Mail
If you choose to return your ballot by mail, you can check the Supervisor of Elections website to see if your Mail Ballot has been received.
3. Hand Deliver Your Ballot
If you are uncomfortable with putting your ballot in the mail, there are drop-off boxes at each Early Voting location in Seminole County, as well as the Supervisor of Elections Office.
Many of our volunteers have elected to drop the ballots off, both for the extra peace of mind as well as to feel like they “have gone to the polls” like they are used to. You will drop off the ballot in the secured box, and the poll worker monitoring the drop box will even give you an “I Voted” sticker.
If you are not able to turn in your Vote by Mail ballot before Election Day, you may still turn it in to the Supervisor of Elections Office either Election Eve, or the day of election.
SemDems will be organizing carpools during Early Vote and on Election Day to drive voters to the polls to return their ballots in person. We need your help to make this possible! Sign up to be a driver.
What to Do If You Forget To Mail Your Ballot in Time
All mail ballots must be received by 7:00 PM on Election Day. If you forget to mail your ballot in by Election Day, and cannot get to the Supervisor of Elections Office, you may still vote at your local precinct. Mail ballots cannot be turned in to your local voting precinct on Election Day, but they can be surrendered to the poll worker allowing you to vote the traditional way.
If you notice that your ballot has not yet been received, you may tell the poll worker that your mail ballot has not yet been counted and ask to fill out an affidavit to void your mail ballot. Once you have done this, you may receive a traditional ballot and vote on Election Day.
Donald Trump is terrified of the power of your vote, and that’s why he is doing everything he can to make sure it doesn’t count. This more than anything else proves how important your vote is. We implore you to do your part this fall to make Seminole County the place we all want it to be, and VOTE.
Make a plan, don’t delay, and follow up to make sure your vote is counted. Sign up to be a carpool driver today.