Here's what Brevard voters need to know when they go to the polls on Election Day

Most Brevard County residents casting ballots in the Nov. 8 election likely already have done so, either through a vote-by-mail ballot or during 13 days of in-person early voting that ended Saturday.

But, if you haven't voted yet, you have one last chance to do so — on Election Day, Tuesday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday throughout Brevard County.

This year's ballot is long, with federal, state, county and municipal candidates seeking office, as well as a range of referendums at the state, county and municipal levels.

Everything about the elections: 2022 election: Ultimate voter's guide to candidates, issues

Religion and politics: Brevard County religious institutions walk fine line when it comes to politics

Voters interviewed during in-person early voting at the Wickham Park Community Center had a number of issues that made voting a priority for them.

David Flores cited inflation and immigration as among the issues he is concerned about.

"Inflation is just getting out of control. Seems like the government, no matter what it does, it makes it worse," Flores said.

As for immigration, Flores said: "There’s just there's too many illegals coming in, and not enough resources for them. There’s not enough resources for Americans. So I'm for legal immigration, and not illegal immigration."

For Jo-Ann D'Errico, issues that were priorities for her this election year included the economy and children.

"I worry about families being able to afford" price increases, D'Errico said. "We are closer to retirement age, so it doesn’t really affect us so much. But I really worry about families bringing up children and caring for them and their needs."

As for children, "getting a good education and support from their families" is one of D'Errico's concerns.

"It is kind of hard if people have to work two jobs to put food on the table," D'Errico said. "You can’t really focus on your kids and so forth. I feel bad for families."

Here is what voters need to know as they go to the polls:

Is it too late to register to vote?

Yes, the "book-closing" deadline to register to vote for the general election was Oct. 11.

How many people are eligible to vote in Brevard County in the election?

There are 460,372 registered voters in all in Brevard County as of the book-closing deadline. Of those, 196,008 are registered Republicans; 130,832 are registered Democrats; 122,832 are voters without party affiliation; and 10,700 are members of a minor political party.

Do have to vote at a specific polling place?

Yes, you must vote at your designated polling place on Election Day. Your polling place is based on your home address.

How many polling places will be open on the Election Day and how many precincts are there?

Brevard has 87 polling locations open on Election Day and 171 precincts. Many polling locations handle multiple precincts.

What's on the ballot this election?

There are statewide races for governor/lieutenant governor, attorney general, chief financial officer, commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, and U.S. senator.

There also is a race for Congress, one Florida Senate seat, three Florida House seats, two Brevard County Commission seats and one Brevard School Board seat.

There are contested municipal races in 11 of Brevard's 16 cities and towns, and various special district elections. The municipalities without contested municipal elections are Grant-Valkaria, Indian Harbour Beach, Malabar, Palm Shores and Rockledge.

There is one Brevard County Court judge race on the ballot, as well as "retention" ballot items for five Florida Supreme Court justices and six 5th District Court of Appeal  judges, in which voters are asked whether they want to keep those judges on the bench.

Also on the ballot are three state constitutional amendments, six Brevard County charter amendments, a county referendum to increase the school millage rates and a county referendum to extend the county's Environmentally Endangered Lands program. There also are local referendums in seven municipalities and one special district.

What is voter turnout likely to be?

These were the turnout percentages in Brevard for the last three non-presidential, even-year elections that are like this one:

• 2010: 55.88%

• 2014: 59.47%

• 2018: 67.26%

How many votes have been cast by mail ballot so far or during in-person early voting?

As of 9 a.m. Monday, 155,713, which represents 33.82% of eligible voters.  

That includes 82,819 who voted by mail and 72,859 who voted during one of the 13 days of early, in-person voting that ran from Oct. 24 through Nov. 5 at 10 sites throughout the county. Another 35 were listed as "provisional ballots"

Among those who have voted are 74,917 are Republicans (38.22% of those eligible); 50,142 registered Democrats (38.33% of those eligible); 27,862 are no party affiliation voters (22.68% of those eligible); and 2,792 are members of minor political parties (26.09% of those eligible).

Republicans led Democrats in vote-by-mail ballots cast, 34,406 to 32,024.

Republicans also led Democrats in in-person early voting ballots cast, 40,493 to 18,108.

When are the busiest voting times on Election Day?

In general, the peak voting times are 7 to 8 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m. periods, so they may be times to avoid if you want to get in and out quickly.

Also, if you're voting at a school, try to avoid class arrival and dismissal times.

What if I'm already in line to vote, and it's 7 p.m.?

All eligible voters in line at their polling place at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote, regardless of the length of the line.

What if I make a mistake when filling out my ballot?

If you make a mistake in voting, tell the clerk in charge of polling place, give him or her your "spoiled ballot," and you will be issued a replacement ballot.

Your spoiled ballot will be sealed, and no one will be allowed to see it.

You may not receive more than two replacement ballots per election.

What else voters should be aware of when going to polling places for primary day voting?

2022 is a redistricting year, which means a voter’s precinct number and/or polling location may have changed.

The Supervisor of Elections Office is encouraging voters to double-check their registration status and polling location at the elections website, votebrevard.gov, before heading out to vote Tuesday, as some locations may have changed because of redistricting.

Where do I get a sample ballot?

Voters should have gotten one in the mail.

If you didn't get one or lost it, sample ballots can be downloaded and printed by following the links at the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Office website, VoteBrevard.gov.

What if I received a vote-by-mail ballot, and I haven't mailed it in yet?

Don't mail it now, because the ballot has to be received by the Supervisor of Elections Office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

You have a few options.

You can fill it out and drop it off at a "secure ballot intake station" (formerly known as "drop boxes") at one of the four Supervisor of Elections offices from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Because of legislative changes, secure ballot intake stations no longer are available for use 24 hours a day, Scott said.

These are the office locations:

• Melbourne: 1515 Sarno Road.

• Palm Bay: 450 Cogan Drive SE.

• Titusville: 400 South St., Room 1F.

• Viera: 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Building C, First Floor.

Another option is you can bring it to your polling place on Election Day, and surrender it to an election official, who will then allow the voter to vote a regular ballot. You cannot just drop off your vote-by-mail ballot at a polling place.

If the voter does not bring his or her unused mail ballot, and the election officials cannot verify that the voter's ballot has not been received by the Elections Office, the voter will be required to vote a "provisional ballot."

All provisional ballots are checked against the voter database, and if it can be confirmed that the voter was or should have been duly registered, had not voted previously, and was in the proper polling place, the ballot is counted and added to the final results.

Voters can track the status of their vote-by-mail ballot through the Supervisor of Elections at www.VoteBrevard.gov under the blue "ballots by mail" tab.

What kind of identification do I need to vote?

At your precinct, you will be asked to present a current and valid form of identification that includes a photograph and signature, such as a Florida driver's license, or two separate forms which together contain this information. Legal forms of identification include:

• Florida driver license.

• Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

• United States passport.

• Debit or credit card.

• Military identification.

• Student identification.

• Retirement center identification.

• Neighborhood association identification.

• Public assistance identification.

• Veteran health identification card issued by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

• Concealed carry weapons license.

• Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the federal government, the state, a county or a municipality.

If you do not have proper identification with you, Florida law allows you to vote a provisional ballot.

What misconception should voters know about?

One common misconception is you have to vote on every item on the ballot for your vote to count. This is not the case.

If you don't want to vote in a particular political race, skip it, and move on to the next item. If you just want to vote for one candidate, and skip everything else, you can do that, too.

Your vote will count for whatever you vote on.

Can I wear a political-themed hat or shirt inside the polling place?

While they are in their polling place voting, voters may wear T-shirts, buttons, hats, etc., which express their political preferences — as long as they are not actively campaigning

Can I take photos inside the polling place?

No photography is permitted in the polling room, except for an elector’s own ballot.

How many people will be working the polls on Election Day?

About 1,100.

What if I don't have transportation to get to my polling place?

Space Coast Area Transit is offering free bus rides throughout the county on Election Day.

What else can voters do on the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Office website?

Voters can verify their voter registration status, update their party affiliation or get a map to their polling location through the website.

Voters can call the Supervisor of Elections Office at 321-290-8683 if they have questions or concerns.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @bydaveberman.

Support local journalism and journalists like me. Subscribe today.

Results, election broadcast

You can find updates on the voting, as well as stories on the elections Tuesday evening at www.floridatoday.com

Tune in to WEFS-TV at 7 p.m. Tuesday, as FLORIDA TODAY Engagement Editor John A. Torres discusses election results with Eastern Florida State College political science Professor Chris Muro and Eric Hoppenbrower, executive director at Brevard Business Voice political action committee. You also can view the show at www.floridatoday.com, as well as the FLORIDA TODAY Facebook or YouTube sites.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard voters have lots of choices as they go to the polls