League of Women Voter of The Villages Tri-County Area
  • Home
  • Come to a Meeting
  • Book a Speaker
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Member
    • Register
    • Renew
    • Update Information
  • About Us
    • Past Events
    • Newsletters
    • In the News
    • Education & Action
  • Voter Toolkit
    • Vote By Mail
    • Use Your Voice
    • Types of Elections
    • 3 Ways to Vote
    • Prepare to Vote
    • AAC Elections
Picture



​Vote By Mail
​Pitfalls to Avoid

​​

Picture


​Common Mistakes:
that will invalidate your ballot

​

Scroll down to find instructions for correcting any mistakes.

Picture



MISTAKE #1:  Not putting your ballot in the sleeve

It is easy to mistake the Secrecy Sleeve for instructions (and even throw it out.)  However, if you simply put the ballot in the envelope without inserting it in the sleeve, it will not be counted.  




Picture



MISTAKE #2:  Using the wrong envelope

Your name is on the envelope beneath the bar code.  If two people in your household vote by mail, make sure you put your ballot in the right envelope.  (Don't ask me how I know you might switch envelopes.) 




Picture

MISTAKE #3:  Signature

The most common reason VBM ballots are rejected is a a bad signature.  If your signature has changed since you requested your VBM ballot, go the Supervisor of Elections office to update it.

​If your handwriting hasn't changed, make sure you sign your name the way it appears on the envelope.  (e.g., Did you use your middle initial?  Middle name?)





Picture

MISTAKE #4:  Putting 2 Ballots in 1 Envelope

Sure.  Postage keeps getting more expensive, so it's tempting to put two ballots in the same envelope.

Don't!

​If you do, neither ballot will be counted.





Picture


You can check the status of your ballot on your county website.  If your ballot was accepted, the RECEIVED arrow (#3) ) will be blue.  Vote By Mail ballots are not COUNTED (#4) until Election Day.

        Lake County
​

        Marion County
​

        Sumter County


You will not see the RECEIVED status immediately.  Give it a week . . . or more if you mailed the ballot.  If your VBM ballot status is still not received, contact your county's Supervisor of Election.


Correcting Mistakes

If you made a mistake that invalidated your ballot or envelope, you can vote in person.  Bring the unmarked ballot with you to the polls during  Early Voting or on Election Day.  Tell the poll workers you want to cast your ballot in person.  They will void your VBM ballot and give you another.   If you did not receive or you lost your VBM ballot, you may cast a provisional ballot.  Your vote will not be counted  until it can be determined your VBM ballot wasn't submitted.

If the problem is with your envelope, you can take your VBM materials to your Supervisor of Elections (SOE) office and request another.


Your SOE is required to notify you as soon as practical if your signature is missing or does not match the one on record.  (That is why some counties request your phone and email address on the envelope.)   To have your ballot counted, you must complete a Vote-by-Mail Ballot Cure Affidavit (Form DS-DE 139 - English PDF / Español PDF) and return it with a copy of your identification.  These two documents can be returned by mail, email, fax, or in person. The deadline to submit the form and the ID is no later than 5 p.m.on the 2nd day after an election. 


REMEMBER 
​For your VBM ballot to count, your Supervisor of Elections (SOE) must receive it by 7 P.M. on election day.  If you are unsure whether you have time to mail the ballot, play it safe:  take it to an early voting site during early voting hours or to your county SOE's office during regular hours.  You cannot, use a drop box at your polling place on election day.


Click to view our Non Partisan Policy

​Click to view our Diversity Policy

Click to enter Members Only section 
​Last revised:    4/1/ 2023 1:00  PM  EST
Last links revision:  
January 20, 2023   1:00  PM EST
©  Copyright League of Women Voters of The Villages/Tri-County Area, Florida.  All  rights reserved.
  • Home
  • Come to a Meeting
  • Book a Speaker
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Member
    • Register
    • Renew
    • Update Information
  • About Us
    • Past Events
    • Newsletters
    • In the News
    • Education & Action
  • Voter Toolkit
    • Vote By Mail
    • Use Your Voice
    • Types of Elections
    • 3 Ways to Vote
    • Prepare to Vote
    • AAC Elections