BOOK CLOSING
Book Closing is 29 days prior to each election. New voter registration forms and party changes must be either received at a designated voter registration agency or postmarked by that date for the voter to be eligible to vote in the next election.
However, if you are registered to vote in Florida and have moved, you may change your legal residence address at any time up to and including Election Day. Florida Law requires that you vote in the precinct in which you legally reside.
CLOSED PRIMARY
In a Closed Primary Election, voters are limited to choosing candidates of their own party. If you are registered in the Republican Party, you are allowed to vote only for Republican or non-partisan candidates. If you are registered in the Democratic Party, you are allowed to vote only for Democratic or non-partisan candidates. If you are registered in a minor party or no party affiliation, you are allowed to vote only for non-partisan candidates and referendums in the Primary Election.
NOTE: A party change must be made in writing prior to Book closing.
NOTE: An applicant who fails to designate a political party affiliation will be registered without party affiliation or No Party Affiliation (NPA).
NOTE: If all candidates for a race are affiliated with one party, and the decision will be made in the Primary Election, every registered voter will be allowed to cast a vote in that race. A write-in candidate would close the Primary to only party affiliated voters.
IMAGECAST EVOLUTION OPTICAL SCAN VOTING MACHINE
Digital voting machine for paper ballots.
EARLY VOTING
Opportunity in which voters can cast their ballots at any of the county’s Early Voting Sites, occurs between 10 and 15 days prior to the election.
EViD
Electronic Voter Identification Unit used to verify a voter’s address, status and signature information during Early Voting and on Election Day.
MAIL BALLOT
A ballot that is provided to voters upon request who either cannot or choose not to go to the polling place to cast their ballot on Election Day.
PRIMARY ELECTION
A Primary Election is when two or more candidates from the same political party desire to run for the same office to determine which one will have their name appear on the General Election Ballot.
Only members of the party may vote for that party's primary, but non-partisan races and issues may also appear on the ballot - for which anyone may vote.
POLL WATCHER
Person designated by a candidate, political party, or political committee to observe the conduct of voters and Election Workers on Election Day. Must have authorization from the Supervisor of Elections to be inside the polling room.
PROVISIONAL BALLOT
An alternative voting method for a voter whose eligibility is in question or cannot be verified at the polling site. Also a voter who’s right to vote is challenged, or voters who fail to provide photo and signature identification must vote a Provisional ballot. In order for the ballot to be considered, the voter must be in the correct precinct for his/her current resident.
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS (SOE)
The chief election officer in the County who is legally responsible for the administration and operation of an election and compliance of all federal, state, and local election laws, procedures and policies. The Supervisor is the final authority on issues of election administration, procedures, and questions of voter eligibility.
UNIVERSAL PRIMARY CONTEST
If all candidates have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general election, then all qualified voters, regardless of party affiliation, may vote in the primary election for that office.
VOTER INFORMATION CARD
A card that is mailed to a voter which contains the voter’s name, residence address, date of birth, party affiliation, voter ID number, date of registration, precinct number, polling place location, district designations for a voter, name and contact information of the Supervisor of Elections. This card CAN NOT be used as proof of identification at the polls.