Highlands County
Supervisor of Elections

Before going to your polling place on election day, you should familiarize yourself with the candidates and issues that will be on your ballot. It is okay for you to bring in a marked Sample Ballot or information to help you make your decisions, but, be sure that you do not display the information for others to see.

REMEMBER -- VOTING IS A PRIVATE ISSUE!

When you check in at your polling place, you will be asked for a picture identification and signature at the registration table. A Florida Driver's License is the most common form of identification used. Listed below are additional acceptable types of identification:

• U.S. Passports
• Debit/Credit Cards
• Military ID's
• Student ID's
• Retirement Center ID's
• Neighborhood Associations ID's
• Public assistance ID's

The poll worker will then issue you an optical scan ballot and direct you to a voting booth. If you are not sure how to use the voting equipment, ask the poll workers for a demonstration. If you make a mistake on your ballot, you may ask for another. Do not hesitate to ask the poll workers for help if you have any questions or problems.

ABSENTEE LAWS

In 2001, the Florida Legislature changed the requirements for voters seeking to vote by absentee. The new law became effective January 1, 2002. Please review the following information to make sure your absentee ballot counts.

WHO CAN VOTE BY ABSENTEE?

If you are a qualified registered Highlands County voter, you are entitled to vote by absentee ballot.

REQUESTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

An absentee ballot may be requested for a specific election or for all elections in the current calendar year. The request can be made in person, by mail, fax, e-mail or by telephone. Only the voter or a designated member of his or her immediate family or legal guardian can request an absentee ballot for the voter. Immediate family means the voter's spouse or the parent, child, grandparent, or sibling of the voter or the voter's spouse or legal guardian.

A request from the voter must include the following information:

• The name of the voter for whom the ballot is requested.
• The voter's address.
• The voter's date of birth.
• The voter's signature (written request only).

If the voter has designated an immediate family member or legal guardian to request an absentee ballot for him or herself, that designee must provide the above information in addition to the following:

OBTAINING YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT

Absentee ballots are mailed to those voters who have requested an absentee ballot as soon as they are available. Absentee ballots cannot be forwarded, so it is important that you provide the elections' office with a correct mailing address.

A qualified absentee voter may designate in writing another person to pick up an absentee ballot for the voter. Carry out ballots are available to a designee on election day or up to four days prior to the day of the election. The designee may only pick up two (2) absentee ballots per election other than his or her own, except for ballots picked up for members of his or her immediate family. The designee must provide picture identification, the written authorization from the voter and complete an affidavit.

EARLY VOTING

A qualified voter may vote early in person 15 days prior to the election and through the Saturday before the election at the Highlands County Government Center, the Avon Park Public Library, or the Lake Placid Public Library. Hours are from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday through Saturday for Early Voting. The voter must present a Florida driver's license, a Florida identification card or another form of picture and signature identification in order to vote. The Highlands County Government Center is located on South Commerce Avenue in Sebring and is the same building where the Supervisor of Elections' Office resides.

VOTING AND RETURNING YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT

Be sure and follow ALL instructions enclosed with the absentee ballot. The voter must personally vote the ballot (unless assistance is required due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write). The voter must sign the return envelope! Your voted absentee ballot must be in the Supervisor of Elections' Office located at the Highlands County Government Center, 580 South Commerce Avenue, Room A201, Sebring, by 7:00 P.M. on election day. YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AT THE POLLING PLACE.

If you request and receive an absentee ballot and later decide to VOTE AT THE POLLS, take your absentee ballot with you to be canceled at your polling place.

MILITARY INFORMATION

Military personnel may apply for voter registration or request absentee ballots with a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) which may be obtained from the Unit Voting Officer.

NOTE: Spouses and dependents are considered to be of the same category of absentee voter as military members and generally should follow the same rules.

U.S. Embassies and Consulates can assist in completing, witnessing, notarizing and mailing FPCA forms, absentee ballots and other election materials. Federal portions of general election and presidential preference primary ballots voted by persons outside the U.S. are counted if postmarked no later than election day and received within 10 days of the election. Additional military election information is available from:

THE DIRECTOR OF
THE FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Department of Defense
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1155
1-800-438-VOTE (8683)
www.fvap.gov