Broward mailing out 350,000 'Vote-by-Mail' ballots
LAUDERHILL - A total of 350,000 vote-by-mail ballots were shipped out of the Broward County Supervisor's Elections Office Thursday morning.
Voters should expect to see them arrive in 3 to 4 days, and thus the countdown to Election Day, November 8 has begun.
"This election, it is absolutely critical to vote early," Joe Scott, Broward County Supervisor of Elections said.
Part of the reason why he wants to remind voters to get their ballots in advance is because of Florida's new election law passed in 2021.
It was designed to make the process more secure but could pose problems.
"I definitely acknowledge that and I think there are some things people need to realize is that there are some barriers that have put in place that make it a little bit harder to participate and that's why it's even more important that people go ahead and vote early," he said.
SB 90 bans other people from helping to drop off ballots, requires supervisors to assign an employee to monitor drop-off boxes, and also requires a driver's license number, state identification, or the last four digits of a social security number to request a vote by mail ballot.
In Broward County, this reduces the drop-off box to just two.
Now, if you're voting in person, you must have a current ID with a photo and signature.
If you're voting by mail, you have until October 29 to request a ballot, and now you'll have to make a request after each election cycle.
"In general the drop boxes will be at the early voting sites, during the early voting hours and that is where people have most of their opportunity but of course, that ends two days before the elections," Scott explained.
The last day to register to vote is October 11.
Early in-person voting will begin in Broward on Monday, October 24th.
Election day is Tuesday, November 8th.
For more information on how to register to vote, request a 'Vote-by-Mail' ballot, or update voter status, visit browardvotes.gov.