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How to Vote
Voting in Florida has never been easier. In most elections, you can vote one of three ways:
1) VOTE EARLY: You can vote early by appearing in person at the Elections office or any of our other early voting locations in Escambia County during the two weeks before Election Day, using our DS200 Optical Scan voting machine (an iVotronic touchscreen voting machine is available for voters with disabilities).
2) VOTE ABSENTEE: By requesting an absentee ballot before the scheduled election, you can vote through the mail. Request an absentee ballot online, by contacting our office by phone, or by mail. Just make sure to make your request before the deadline — 6 days before Election Day (the Wednesday before a Tuesday election). Your ballot must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7:00 pm on Election Day.
3) VOTE AT YOUR PRECINCT: Finally, you may vote in person at your precinct on Election Day. Don’t know your precinct number or its location? Click here to find it. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Photo and Signature ID Requirement
If you choose to vote in person, whether by Early Voting or at your precinct on Election Day, you must present photo and signature identification. Acceptable forms of photo ID are:
- Florida driver’s license
- Florida ID card
- United States passport
- Debit or credit card
- Military identification
- Student identification
- Retirement center identification
- Neighborhood association identification
- Public assistance identification.
If you fail to present proper identification at the polls, you must vote a provisional ballot.
Florida Primary and General Elections
In Florida primary elections, you may only vote for candidates of the party in which you are registered. However, if all candidates for an office are from the same party, and will not face opposition in the general election, then all qualified voters may cast a ballot in the primary, regardless of party affiliation. In the general election, and in non-partisan races or issues, all voters may cast a ballot without regard to political party.
How To Mark Your Ballot
Escambia County uses a paper based optical scan voting system, consisting of ES&S DS200 optical scanners. For the disabled community and others who prefer using electronic Touch Screen voting machines, iVotronic touchscreens are also available. Both are user-friendly methods that make voting both fast and simple.
For the DS200 optical scanners:
- Just fill in the oval to the left of the candidate or issue you wish to vote for, as illustrated.
- If you are voting at the precinct, use the pen that we supply in the voting booth.
- If you make a mistake, get a new ballot. Do not try to correct the error.
- If needed, ask for a poll-worker’s help; they will be glad to answer your questions.
- You are not allowed to vote for more than the ballot indicates in each race, for example: Vote for One
- Write-In Candidates — If you wish to vote for a write-in, mark the write-in arrow and write the name of a qualified write-in candidate. Only votes for valid write-in candidates can be counted for write-in votes.
- More information on using the DS200 can be found in this short PDF document.
- Here a couple of short video demos of the DS200
For the iVotronic touchscreens:
- A poll worker will activate your electronic ballot
- Make your selection by touching your choice on the screen
- Touch Next Page to page through the ballot
- Review your selections by touching Review Ballot
- Finally, push the red flashing VOTE button at the top of the screen to cast your ballot
- If needed, ask for poll worker assistance; they will be glad to answer any questions - You may not vote for more choices than the ballot indicates in each race. For example: Vote for One
- If you wish to vote for a write-in candidate, choose “write-in” on the touchscreen and use the on-screen letters to type the name of a qualified write-in candidate. Only votes for valid write-in candidates will be counted.
- Here are a couple of demos of the iVotronic