Lee County Voter Education

1. LEE COUNTY VOTER
EDUCATION

2. TOPICS
• VOTER REGISTRATION
• METHODS OF VOTING
• PRECINCTS
• POLL WORKERS
• ELECTION INFORMATION
• 15TH & 19TH AMENDMENTS OF THE U.S.
CONSTITUTION

4. VOTER
QUALIFICATIONS
 UNITED STATES CITIZEN
 FLORIDA RESIDENT
 18 YEARS OF AGE (PRE-REGISTER AT 17)
 NOT ADJUDICATED MENTALLY
INCAPACITATED WITH RESPECT TO
VOTING, UNLESS THAT RIGHT HAS BEEN
RESTORED
 NOT A CONVICTED FELON IN ANY STATE,
UNLESS YOU HAVE HAD YOUR RIGHTS
RESTORED
 MUST BE REGISTERED FOR AT LEAST 29
DAYS BEFORE BEING ABLE TO VOTE IN AN
ELECTION

5. METHODS OF VOTING
EARLY VOTING
 APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS BEFORE
ELECTION DAY
 EVENING & WEEKEND HOURS
 NOT PRECINCT SPECIFIED – VOTERS CAN
VOTE AT ANY LOCATION
ELECTION DAY VOTING
 MUST VOTE IN YOUR DESIGNATED
PRECINCT ONLY
 VOTING HOURS 7:00AM TO 7:00PM
ABSENTEE BALLOT BY MAIL
 ANY REGISTERED VOTER CAN REQUEST ONE
 BALLOT CAN BE MAILED TO YOU ANYWHERE IN
THE WORLD
 LAST DAY TO REQUEST ONE IS ALWAYS THE
WEDNESDAY BEFORE THE ELECTION
 IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE ON YOUR BALLOT, YOU
CAN REQUEST UP TO THREE BALLOTS TOTAL
 BALLOT MUST BE RETURNED TO THE ELECTIONS
MAIN OFFICE BY 7:00PM ON ELECTION DAY

6. FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION & PROVISIONAL
BALLOTS
WHEN A VOTER’S
REGISTRATION OR IDENTITY
IS IN QUESTION, THEY ARE
OFFERED A PROVISIONAL
BALLOT
ONCE THE VOTER’S
INFORMATION HAS BEEN
VERIFIED BY OUR OFFICE, THE
BALLOT WILL BE OFFICIALLY
COUNTED
CURRENT & VALID PHOTO ID &
SIGNATURE REQUIRED TO VOTE
FLORIDA DRIVER’S LICENSE
FLORIDA ID CARD
US PASSPORT
DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD
MILITARY ID
STUDENT ID
RETIREMENT CENTER ID
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ID
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ID

7. PRECINCTS & POLL
WORKERS
POLL WORKERS ARE
TRAINED TEMPORARY
STAFF WHO WORK IN
THE PRECINCTS ON
ELECTION DAY
POLL WORKERS AND
STUDENT POLL
WORKERS MUST ATTEND
TRAINING CLASSES AS
REQUIRED BY FLORIDA
STATUTES
PRECINCTS ARE
DETERMINED BY
WHERE YOU LIVE
ELECTION LAWS
REQUIRE OUR
POLLING PLACES TO
BE ACCESSIBLE
ACCORDING TO THE
AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITIES ACT OF
1990

8. ANY PERSON RUNNING FOR OFFICE TO WHOM ANY ONE
OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING APPLIES:
 SEEKS TO QUALIFY FOR NOMINATION OR ELECTION BY MEANS OF
THE PETITIONING PROCESS
 SEEKS TO QUALIFY FOR ELECTION AS A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE
(DOES NOT PAY FEE TO HAVE NAME ON BALLOT)
 RECEIVES CONTRIBUTIONS OR MAKES EXPENDITURES, OR GIVES
HIS/HER CONSENT FOR ANY OTHER PERSON TO RECEIVE
CONTRIBUTIONS OR MAKE EXPENDITURES, WITH A VIEW TO
BRINGING ABOUT HIS/HER NOMINATION OR ELECTION TO, OR
RETENTION IN, PUBLIC OFFICE
 APPOINTS A TREASURER AND DESIGNATES A PRIMARY
DEPOSITORY
 FILES QUALIFICATION PAPERS AND SUBSCRIBES TO A CANDIDATE’S
OATH AS REQUIRED BY LAW
 **THIS DEFINITION DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY CANDIDATE FOR A
POLITICAL PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE**

9. TYPES OF ELECTIONS
MUNICIPAL
PRIMARY
GENERAL
SPECIAL
Direct Number: 239.533.6332

10. LOCAL: 5 MUNICIPALITIES – BONITA
SPRINGS, CAPE CORAL, FORT MYERS,
SANIBEL AND TOWN OF FORT MYERS
COUNTY: CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS –
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, TAX
COLLECTOR, PROPERTY APPRAISER,
CLERK OF COURTS, COUNTY
COMMISIONERS, SCHOOL BOARD,
BOARD AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS
STATE: GOVERNOR, SENATORS AND
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEDERAL: PRESIDENT, US SENATORS AND
US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

11. PRIMARY ELECTION
ELECTION BETWEEN TWO OR MORE
CANDIDATES IN ONE POLITICAL
PARTY
CANDIDATE WITH THE MOST VOTES
GOES ON TO THE GENERAL
ELECTION
CLOSED PRIMARY ELECTION
FLORIDA IS A CLOSED PRIMARY
STATE
VOTERS WILL RECEIVE THE BALLOT
OF THE PARTY WITH WHOM THEY
ARE REGISTERED
NO CROSSOVER VOTING IS
ALLOWED
VOTERS REGISTERED IN A MINOR
PARTY CAN VOTE IN CLOSED
PRIMARIES FOR NON-POLITICAL
PARTY ISSUES, BUT NOT FOR
CANDIDATES

12. GENERAL ELECTION
NATIONAL, STATE OR
COUNTY ELECTION HELD
BETWEEN OR AMONG THE
CANDIDATES WHO WON
THEIR PRIMARY PARTIES
ALWAYS THE FIRST TUESDAY
AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY
IN NOVEMBER

13. 15TH AMENDMENT OF THE US
CONSTITUTION
RATIFIED IN 1870
PROHIBITS FEDERAL OR
STATE GOVERNMENTS
FROM INFRINGING ON A
CITIZEN’S RIGHT TO VOTE
“ON ACCOUNT OF RACE,
COLOR OR PREVIOUS
CONDITION OF
SERVITUDE.”
19TH AMENDMENT OF THE US
CONSTITUTION
RATIFIED AUGUST 18, 1920
THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS OF
THE UNITED STATES TO
VOTE SHALL NOT BE
DENIED OR ABRIGED BY
THE UNITED STATES OR BY
ANY STATE ON ACCOUNT
OF SEX

14. NATIONAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT 1965
PROHIBITED STATES FROM
IMPOSING ANY “VOTING
QUALIFICATION OR PREREQUISITE
TO VOTING, OR STANDARD,
PRACTICE, OR PROCEDURE TO DENY
OR ABRIGE THE RIGHT OF ANY
CITIZEN OF THE US TO VOTE ON
ACCOUNT OF RACE OR COLOR.”
CONGRESS AMENDED &
EXTENDED THE ACT FOR
25 YEARS ON JULY 27,
2006.
SIGNED BY PRESIDENT
GEORGE W. BUSH