An absentee ballot is a ballot for an election that is voted early by the voter. The absentee ballot is either mailed to the voter, or the voter may stop by the office of the Supervisor of Elections to vote their absentee ballot.

Any registered voter in Hernando County may request an absentee ballot from the Hernando County Supervisor of Elections.

You must contact the Supervisor of Elections office to request an absentee ballot. You may contact the elections office:

• by mail
• in person
• by telephone
• or by clicking the link "click here to request an absentee ballot" and completing the on-line request form and then clicking submit

Only the voter or an immediate family member may request an absentee ballot. Immediate family members include:

• voter's spouse 
• voter's parent
• voter's grandparent
• voter's child
• voter's sibling
• voter's legal guardian

To request an absentee ballot the voter must provide the following information:

• the name of the voter
• the voter's Hernando County residence address
• the voter's date of birth
• the voter's signature (written requests only)
• the address that you will need your ballot mailed to IF different from your residence address (ABSENTEE BALLOTS CANNOT BE FORWARDED) 

If an immediate family member is making the request for the voter, the following information must be provided in addition to the above:

• the name of the family member making the request
• the address of the family member making the request
• the relationship of the family member making the request
• the driver's license number of the family member making the request (if available)
• the signature of the family member making the request (written requests only)

You may also designate someone IN WRITING to pick up an absentee ballot at the Supervisor of Elections office for you. The designee will be required to provide identification and complete an affidavit. A designee may only pick up two ballots per election unless they are an immediate family member of the voter. Ballots obtained by designee may ONLY be obtained up to four days before an election.
Ref.: F.S.101.62  Request for absentee ballots, DE 02-12 Requesting and Delivering Absentee Ballots, DE 02-08 Absentee Ballot Requests ,

Mailing of absentee ballots begins approximately 30 days prior to each election to those voters who have requested an absentee ballot.

An absentee ballot may be voted in either of the two offices of the Supervisor of Elections during the designated in-office voting period (approximately two weeks prior to an election). The voter must present both picture and signature identification. A deputy supervisor will instruct you on voting your ballot and will be your witness.

The voter must personally vote the ballot (unless assistance is required due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write). 

• completely blacken in the ovals corresponding to the candidate and/or referendums of your choice 
• place your completed ballot in the secrecy folder
• place both the ballot and the secrecy folder in the return envelope that came with your ballot 
• complete the voter's certificate on the envelope
• return your absentee ballot by mail or in person by 7:00 p.m. on election day
  
  As of July 1, 2004 the signature witness for absentee ballots will NO LONGER be required. 

Military personnel may apply for voter registration and/or request absentee ballots with a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) which may be obtained from the Unit Voting Officer. If the FPCA is not available, phone, send a written request to the Supervisor of Elections Office, or use the on-line request form.
Spouses and dependents are considered to be of the same category of absentee voter as military members and generally should follow the same rules.

Additional military election information is available from: