Voting by mail in the 2024 elections? Here’s why Florida voters should request ballots now

Lindsey Leake, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·5 min read
2

With the 2022 election only a few months in the rearview mirror, you may not be thinking about voting in 2024 just yet. But Florida’s presidential preference primary is less than a year away, meaning it’s time for people who prefer voting by mail to request a ballot.

Because of statewide election reforms, no one who voted by mail in 2022 will be sent future ballots unless they request them from their county elections office.

Not enough people are aware of the new law, said Martin County elections supervisor Vicki Davis. So far, about 10,000 Martin voters have signed up to receive mail ballots next year — about half as many who typically have submitted requests at this point in the election cycle.

“They need to be ready if they want to vote by mail,” Davis said, noting her office has done everything to inform the public from putting up posters at county libraries to sliding inserts into utility bills. “We’ve really made a coordinated effort to get [the word] out.”

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Why do Florida voters need to request a mail ballot again?

Florida voters used to be able to request ballots be mailed to them for all races — state, local and federal — through the next two general elections. For instance, as early as 2019, a voter could request mail ballots for every primary and general election through both the 2020 and 2022 cycles.

Sunshine State voters now must request a mail ballot every general election cycle because of Senate Bill 90, which Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in 2021. Even if you voted by mail in 2022, you need to submit a new request to receive mail ballots through 2024.

You’ll be required to do the same for 2026 and 2028 and every general election cycle thereafter — twice as often as you used to. Conservative proponents of the change argue it strengthens election security, while liberal and nonpartisan critics say it suppresses voters by adding unnecessary administrative steps.

If you’ve recently voted by mail but don’t want to do so in the future, no action is necessary.

When are the 2024 elections and when’s the deadline to request a mail ballot?

Scenes outside Precinct 23, located inside the Unity Church of Vero Beach, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Vero Beach, Fla.
Scenes outside Precinct 23, located inside the Unity Church of Vero Beach, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Vero Beach, Fla.

  • Presidential preference primary election: Tuesday, March 19, 2024

    • Request mail ballot by 5 p.m. Saturday, March 9, 2024

    • Ballots mailed to overseas voters Feb. 3, 2024

    • Ballots mailed to domestic voters as early as Feb. 8, 2024

  • Primary election: Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024

    • Request mail ballot by 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024

    • Ballots mailed to overseas voters July 6, 2024

    • Ballots mailed to domestic voters as early as July 11, 2024

  • General election: Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024

    • Request mail ballot by 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024

    • Ballots mailed to overseas voters Sept. 21, 2024

    • Ballots mailed to domestic voters as early as Sept. 26, 2024

Some jurisdictions will hold contests in 2023, such as the Indian River County municipal election on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Voters have until 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 to request a mail ballot for that election.

Who can request a mail ballot in Florida?

Vashonte King (left), of Vero Beach, Fla., gives a high-five to her son Ja-Haun Smith, 3, after voting at the Gifford Community Center on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in Indian River County.
Vashonte King (left), of Vero Beach, Fla., gives a high-five to her son Ja-Haun Smith, 3, after voting at the Gifford Community Center on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in Indian River County.

  • All registered Florida voters, including those overseas

  • You also may request a mail ballot on behalf of your spouse, legal guardian, or your or your spouse’s:

    • Parent

    • Child

    • Grandparent

    • Grandchild

    • Sibling

What information is needed to request a mail ballot?

A bowl of red and blue lollipops that say, “VOTE,” is pictured Thursday, May 5, 2022, at Hoke Library in Jensen Beach, Fla. The promotional sweets were part of a voter registration drive held by the Martin County Supervisor of Elections office ahead of the Aug. 23 primary election. Parents sometimes only permit their children to take a lollipop whose color aligns with that of the family’s political party, according to Kherri Anderson, deputy of elections outreach.

  • Name

  • Date of birth

  • Residential and mailing addresses

  • Last four digits of Social Security number, driver’s license number or state-issued ID number

  • Signature (written requests only)

  • Phone number (optional)

  • Email address (optional)

How many people in Florida voted by mail in 2022?

Over 4.3 million Florida voters requested and received a mail ballot in the 2022 general election, according to state Division of Elections records. However, fewer than 2.8 million ballots were returned, indicating about 36% of people decided instead to vote early, in person on Election Day or not at all.

On the Treasure Coast, about 69% of the nearly 144,000 voters who requested mail ballots turned them in. While more Democrats requested mail ballots than any other party, Republicans had the highest submission rate of 74%.

How to request a mail ballot in Indian River County

Mail ballots for the Aug. 18, 2020, primary election are counted at the Indian River County Supervisor of Elections office on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in Vero Beach, Fla.
Mail ballots for the Aug. 18, 2020, primary election are counted at the Indian River County Supervisor of Elections office on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in Vero Beach, Fla.

Or, download the request form in English or Spanish and submit it via

Voters with disabilities may request an accessible mail ballot at 772-226-4702 or 772-226-4718.

How to request a mail ballot in St. Lucie County

Skip Hickman (left) and Janet Brady, both of Port St. Lucie, Fla., exit precinct 11 after voting on Election Day at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in Port St. Lucie.
Skip Hickman (left) and Janet Brady, both of Port St. Lucie, Fla., exit precinct 11 after voting on Election Day at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in Port St. Lucie.

Or, download the request form in English or Spanish and submit it via

How to request a mail ballot in Martin County

The East Stuart community came together for the Souls to the Polls rally and voting drive Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in Stuart, Fla. The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, NAACP of Martin County and other nonpartisan organizations participated. "We're out here educating our people on the value of the vote," said Geraldine Harriel with FRRC. "It's so hard because we keep coming against these barriers. We're still fighting for democracy, still fighting for justice."

Or, download the request form in English or Spanish and submit it via

Lindsey Leake is TCPalm’s projects reporter. She has an M.A. in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins University, an M.A. in Journalism and Digital Storytelling from American University and a B.A. from Princeton University. Follow her on Twitter @NewsyLindsey, Facebook @LindseyMLeake and Instagram @newsylindsey. Call her at 772-529-5378 or email her at lindsey.leake@tcpalm.com.

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vote 2024: How, when to request mail ballots for Florida elections