Florida > The Florida Election Code > Voting Methods And Procedure

§ 101.67 Safekeeping of mailed ballots; deadline for receiving vote-by-mail ballots.

Statute

(1) The supervisor of elections shall safely keep in his or her office any envelopes received containing marked ballots of absent electors, and he or she shall, before the canvassing of the election returns, deliver the envelopes to the county canvassing board along with his or her file or list kept regarding said ballots.

(2) Except as provided in s. 101.6952(5), all marked absent electors’ ballots to be counted must be received by the supervisor by 7 p.m. the day of the election. All ballots received thereafter shall be marked with the time and date of receipt and filed in the supervisor’s office.

History:

s. 2, ch. 11824, 1927; CGL 436; s. 1, ch. 25385, 1949; s. 5, ch. 26870, 1951; s. 24, ch. 29934, 1955; s. 24, ch. 57-1; s. 35, ch. 65-380; s. 5, ch. 71-149; s. 23, ch. 77-175; s. 590, ch. 95-147; s. 14, ch. 2013-57; s. 23, ch. 2016-37.

Annotation: February 16, 2016 3:44 pm

Absentee ballots to be counted must be returned to the supervisor of elections’ office. Voted absentee ballots cannot be delivered to an early voting site or a polling place unless the voter wants to vote in person, in which case the marked absentee ballot is to be marked cancelled.

1. Definition for Supervisor

Definition [Supervisor]

The supervisor of elections. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(36).

2. Definition for Absent Elector

Definition [Absent Elector]

Any registered and qualified voter who casts an absentee ballot. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(1).

3. Definition for Ballot

Definition [Ballot]

As used in the Electronic Voting Systems Act, ballot means the card, tape, or other vehicle upon which the elector’s choices are recorded. Fla. Stat. § 101.5603(2).

4. Definition for Elector

Definition [Elector]

“Elector” is synonymous with the word “voter” or “qualified elector or voter,” except where the word is used to describe presidential electors. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(15).

5. Definition for Election

Definition [Election]

Any primary election, special primary election, special election, general election, or presidential preference primary election. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(12).