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Can I vote by mail in Florida?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 5Passed
- Mail request must be receivedThu, Oct 22, 5 p.m.Passed
Missed the request deadline?
- Voters with an emergency that keeps them from an early voting site or their polling place, after the Oct. 22 mail-request deadline. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 7 p.m.. Designate someone in writing; they bring Form DS-DE 162 (with your emergency affidavit) and photo ID to the Supervisor of Elections, pick up your ballot, and return it by 7 p.m.; a designee may carry ballots for only two other voters plus immediate family. source
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be received by Tue, Nov 3. After this date, use a drop box or return it in person.
- Returning it:
Received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks don't count.
Dropping it off? Drop boxes are widely available here, and using one skips the mail entirely. secure ballot intake stations.
Who can return it for you: Anyone you choose may return it. Anyone may carry up to two other voters' ballots per election, plus their own and immediate family's (spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, and the spouse's); more is a felony. Return by mail, in person, or in a secure drop box at Supervisor of Elections offices and early voting sites until 7 p.m. Election Day. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Thu, Nov 5 · 11 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Submit the cure affidavit (form DS-DE 139) with a copy of your ID by 5 p.m. local time on Nov. 5, the second day after the election, by mail, email, fax, or in person. Deadline: Thu, Nov 5 · 11 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in Florida Requests must be renewed each general election cycle.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Florida?
Will your ballot count in Florida?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Florida, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Open now through Sat, Oct 31. Some counties open as early as Mon, Oct 19. Locations and hours
Bring a photo ID. If you don't have one there's a fallback, usually signing an affidavit or having your signature checked, and your ballot still counts that day.
Accepted: Current valid photo ID with signature: FL driver license or ID card, US passport, debit/credit card, military ID, student ID, retirement center ID, neighborhood association ID, public assistance ID, veteran health ID, concealed-weapon license, government employee ID (a second ID with signature if the photo ID lacks one) Without one: Provisional ballot; counted if you are eligible, voted in the proper precinct and the signature on the provisional certificate matches your registration signature. No return trip needed unless the signature is missing/mismatched (cure affidavit by 5 p.m. two days after the election).
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Florida can start processing mail ballots 22 days before Election Day, so most results come in on election night. Results are certified Tue, Nov 17. Because no ballots arrive after Election Day, Florida usually reports most results on election night.
Watching the numbers? Your state publishes a running count of mail ballots requested and returned: Florida's daily vote-by-mail report
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-11. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.