ORLANDO, Fla. – Election leaders in Orange and Osceola counties held a briefing Wednesday to discuss law changes and cybersecurity ahead of what’s expected to be a busy election year.
With voters casting their ballots for president in November, elevated turnout is expected at the three elections scheduled for 2020.
Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles said voters should be aware of several law changes that went into effect at the beginning of the year.
During early voting and on election day, there will now be a 150-foot no solicitation zone at voting sites.
Also new this year, voters are allowed to take pictures at the voting booth, but those images are restricted to only that voter's ballot.
One issue that is still tied up the courts is Amendment 4, which was passed in 2018 and surrounds the restoration of the voting rights of felons.
“The question is, what is the process for verifying the information on an individual and that’s got to be answered?” Cowles said.
Cybersecurity was another big issued that was discussed during the briefing. Osceola County Supervisor of Elections Mary Jane Arrington said the threat of election hacking is why computers aren’t used to cast a ballot.
"Every voter in the state of Florida votes on a paper ballot and we can sit down the day after the election if we need to and count those again," Arrington said.
Voters in Florida will next cast their ballot in the Presidential Preference Primary, which is March 17. The deadline to register to vote in that election is February 18.
IMPORTANT ELECTION DATES
Presidential Preference Primary
Election Day: March 17, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Deadline to Register to Vote: February 18
Vote-by-mail Ballots: February 6
Early Voting Orange: March 2 - 15, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Early Voting Osceola: March 2 - 15, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Primary Election
Election Day: August 18, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Deadline to Register to Vote: July 20
Vote-by-mail Ballots: August 8 by 5 p.m.
Early Voting Orange: August 3 - 16, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Early Voting Osceola: August 3 - 16, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
General Election
Election Day: November 3, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Deadline to Register to Vote: October 5
Vote-by-mail Ballots: October 24 by 5 p.m.
Early Voting Orange: October 19 - November 1, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Early Voting Osceola: October 19 - November 1, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Rules
150-foot no solicitation zone
Voters can take pictures of ballot only (no other photography allowed)
Drop-boxes at Osceola and Orange early voting locations only
Must bring 2 forms of ID, photo, signature. Examples: Driver license, credit card with signature and photo, passport, concealed weapons permit