JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Northeast Florida’s election supervisors are addressing questions about election security, vote-by-mail ballots, primary rules and what voters should expect at the polls.
Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland, St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections Vicky Oakes and Clay County Supervisor of Elections Chris Chambless joined In Depth with Kristine Bellino to discuss Florida’s election process ahead of the upcoming primary.
How Florida protects elections
Responding to concerns about election security and foreign interference, the supervisors explained that Florida’s voter registration records are public, but accessing those records is not the same as accessing the systems that count votes.
Chambless said Florida’s tabulation systems are never connected to the internet. Voting equipment operates on closed networks, is programmed by county election employees and must pass a public logic and accuracy test before every election.
Florida also uses paper ballots, conducts post-election audits and allows the public, candidates and political parties to observe many parts of the process.
Oakes said St. Johns County uses an independent system to audit every ballot. Recent comparisons between the two systems have produced between 99.996% and 100% agreement.
Paper ballots also allow officials to conduct recounts when necessary. Florida requires a machine recount when the difference between candidates is one-half of 1% or less, followed by a manual recount if the margin is one-quarter of 1% or less.
Registration and vote-by-mail
The deadline to register or change political parties for the August 18 primary was July 20. Voters have until August 6 to request a vote-by-mail ballot.
Any registered Florida voter can request one without providing a reason. However, the completed ballot must arrive at the county elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. A ballot mailed that day but delivered later will not count.
Requesting a mail ballot does not prevent someone from voting in person. Election workers can verify that the ballot has not already been returned before allowing the person to vote.
When a mail ballot arrives, trained workers compare the signature on its envelope with signatures already on file. If a signature is missing or does not match, the voter is contacted and given an opportunity to correct or “cure” the issue.
Once approved, the ballot is separated from its identifying envelope through a controlled process, protecting the voter’s privacy. Election offices can determine whether someone voted, but they cannot see which candidates that person selected.
What voters should know before the primary
New Florida residents must register before the state’s 29-day deadline. Someone moving between Florida counties only needs to update their address because the state uses a shared voter registration database.
Voters can use NorthFloridaVotes.com or their county elections website to confirm their registration, view a sample ballot and find early voting or Election Day locations.
The supervisors warned that early voting schedules differ by county. Election Day hours, however, are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. statewide. Anyone waiting in line when polls close can still vote.
Florida has closed primaries for partisan races, but voters registered with No Party Affiliation can still participate in nonpartisan contests, including judicial and school board races. They may also vote in universal primaries when every candidate belongs to the same party and the winner will face no opposition in November.
Holland also clarified that “Independent” may refer to an actual political party in Florida. People who do not want to join a party should register as No Party Affiliation, or NPA.
Election offices send official sample ballots but do not endorse candidates. During a general election, voters may choose any candidate regardless of their party registration.
Ballot counting and provisional voting
Counties can begin processing mail ballots before Election Day, but no candidate totals are released early. Vote-by-mail and early voting results are generally posted first after polls close, followed by Election Day totals.
Election-night numbers are preliminary. Officials must still review provisional ballots, correct eligible mail-ballot issues and count qualifying military and overseas ballots before certifying the results.
Voters without acceptable identification or whose eligibility cannot immediately be confirmed may cast a provisional ballot instead of being turned away. The county canvassing board later reviews the case.
If a voter makes a clear correction on a ballot, officials can recreate it so the intended choice is counted. However, a ballot cannot be changed after it has been mailed or cast.
Rules and safety at polling places
Campaigning and attempts to influence voters are prohibited within 150 feet of polling locations. Voters may wear clothing supporting a candidate, but they cannot remain inside campaigning or loudly discussing their choices.
The supervisors encouraged voters to immediately report threats or intimidation. Election offices coordinate with law enforcement and emergency agencies, although uniformed officers generally are not stationed at polling entrances unless responding to an incident.
Voters will not be asked to prove citizenship at the polls because eligibility is addressed during registration.
Turnout remains a concern
The supervisors said election rules and schedules can differ between counties, encouraging both voters and journalists to verify local information instead of assuming the same procedures apply everywhere.
They also expressed concern about low primary turnout. Oakes said recent St. Johns County primaries have attracted about 25% of registered voters and have not exceeded 30% in decades.
Residents can learn more by touring their local election office, observing public election activities or becoming paid poll workers.
When Bellino asked about their confidence in Florida’s election system, Oakes and Holland said they were 100% confident. Chambless answered “1,000%.”
“Every one of our votes count the same,” Holland said. “They’re one vote, and they count the same, and they’re very important.”
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