LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – Tuesday marks 63 days until Election Day in November, and over the last several weeks, there has been a lot of discussion regarding mail in voting.
News 6 wanted to take a look at important dates in our Central Florida counties that are just around the corner, to make sure your vote counts.
The Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays said in Florida the term “absentee ballot” was replaced by the term “vote-by-mail” in 2016.
“The biggest difference is the spelling,” Hays said.
Hays said, in Florida, if a person is not able to go to the polls or does not want to go vote in person for any reason, they can participate in what’s called “no excuse vote by mail.”
“Here in Florida, the voter must request a vote-by-mail ballot, we do not send them to all registered voters, and there’s very good reasons for that,” Hays said.
He said thousands of residents in Lake County are already scheduled to receive a vote-by-mail ballot.
[RESULTS 2020: Mark your calendar with these important dates ahead of the general election]
However, Hays said, for those looking to vote-by-mail, there are some important dates to keep in mind.
“We cannot mail them after eight days before the election; that eighth day before the election is the last time we’re allowed to mail the ballots,” said Hays.
But not every county in Florida starts mailing their vote-by-mail ballots on the same day.
Here is a list of when counties will begin mailing overseas and when domestic initial mailing begins:
Lake County
Overseas: Sept. 18
Domestic: Sept. 24
Orange County
Overseas: Sept. 16
Domestic: Sept. 30
Osceola County
Overseas: Sept. 16
Domestic: Sept. 24
Marion County
Overseas: Sept. 18
Domestic: Sept. 24
Seminole County
Overseas: Between Sept. 14-18
Domestic: Between Sept. 24- Oct. 1
Another important date Hays pointed out is when ballots must be received by in order for it to count. He said the ballots must be in their office by 7 p.m. on Election night.
Hays said having it postmarked doesnt’t make any difference, it has to be in their office.
For anyone concerned about the promptness of the postal service delivery, Hays said he suggests people personally drop off their ballot to either an early voting site or to the Supervisor of Election office.