Voting Options

Vote by Mail Voting

What is a vote by mail ballot?

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

Who can vote a ballot by mail?

Any registered voter in Hernando County may request a vote by mail ballot from the Hernando County Supervisor of Elections.

How do I request a vote by mail ballot?

You must contact the Supervisor of Elections office to request a vote by mail ballot.

You may contact the Elections office in person or by:

• Mail: 20 N. Main St., Rm. 165, Brooksville, Fl 34601
• Phone: 352-754-4125
• Fax: 352-754-4425
• Clicking the REQUEST A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT link at the top of this page

Only the voter or an immediate family member of the voter may request a vote by mail ballot. Immediate family members include:

• Spouse
• Parent
• Grandparent
• Child
• Sibling
• Legal guardian

To request a vote by mail ballot, the voter must provide the following information:

• Voter's name
• Voter's Hernando County residential address
• Voter's date of birth
• Voter's signature (written requests only)
• The address that the ballot will be mailed to if different from the residential address (Note: The post office will not forward vote by mail ballots) 

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

• Name of the family member making the request
• Address of the family member making the request
• Relationship of the family member making the request
• Driver license number of the family member making the request (if available)
• Signature of the family member making the request (written requests only)

Can someone pick up my vote by mail ballot for me?

You may also designate IN WRITING someone to pick up a vote by mail ballot for you at the Supervisor of Elections office.

The designee will be required to:

• Provide identification
• Complete the form: Affidavit to Pick up a Vote by Mail Ballot for Voter
  (Click on Forms & Publications under Voter Education on the left side of the webpage to find this form)

Limitations: A designee may only pick up two ballots per election unless he/she is an immediate family member of the voter. Ballots obtained by designee MAY ONLY be obtained on Election Day or up to five days prior to the Election.

When will I receive my vote by mail ballot?

Mailing of vote by mail ballots begins approximately 30 days prior to each election to those voters who have requested a vote by mail ballot.

How do I vote my vote by mail ballot?

The voter must personally vote his/her ballot, unless assitance is required due to blindness, disability or inability to read or write.

• Completely blacken the oval(s) corresponding to the candidate(s) and/or referendum(s) of your choice
• Place your completed ballot in the secrecy sleeve
• Place both ballot and secrecy sleeve in the return envelope that came with your ballot
• Complete the voter's certificate on the return envelope
• Return your vote by mail ballot by mail or in person to the Supervisor of Elections office

Note: Your vote by mail ballot must be received by the Supervisor of Elections by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Does my signature have to be witnessed?

As of July 1, 2004 the signature witness for vote by mail ballots is NO LONGER required.

How do I return my vote by mail ballot?

Vote by mail ballots may be returned to the Supervisor of Elections office in person or by mail.

However you choose to return your ballot, it must be received in the:

• Brooksville Elections office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day FS 101.6103

NOTE TO VOTER: A voted vote by mail ballot cannot be accepted at a polling place for return to the Elections office. There are no exceptions to this law. FS 101.69

Early Voting

What is early voting?

Early voting is an eight day voting period that occurs beginning 10 days prior to an election and ending 3 days prior to that election.

Where is early voting held in Hernando County?

Early voting in Hernando County is held at:

• Main office: 20 N. Main St., Rm. 165, Brooksville, FL 34601
• Branch office: 7443 Forest Oaks Blvd., Spring Hill, FL 34606

When is early voting held in Hernando County?

Call (352) 754-4125 for early voting times.

What do I need to bring with me when I go to vote early?

When you go to vote early you need to bring your photo and signature identification with you.

Click here to view the list of acceptable ID.

Is early voting held at my polling place?

No. Early voting is not held at your polling place. Do not go to your polling place to vote early. Go to one of the elections offices to vote early.

Polling Place Voting

What is polling place voting?

Polling place voting is when a voter goes to his/her assigned polling place between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Election Day to receive and vote his/her ballot.

Where is my assigned polling place?

To find out where your assigned polling place is, click on the WHERE DO I VOTE link at the top of this page.

What should I bring with me to my polling place to vote?

You should bring your photo and signature identification with you to the polling place to vote.

Click here to view the list of acceptable ID

Can I vote at any polling place in Hernando County?

No. You must vote at your assigned polling place. If you try to vote at another polling place, you will be directed to go to your assigned polling place. It is a felony to vote in a precinct in which you do not live. F.S. 101.045

Precinct and Polling Place Designation

According to Florida Law, "There shall be in each precinct in each county one polling place which shall be accessible to the public on election day and is managed by a board of inspectors and clerk of election." The Board of County Commissioners in Hernando County, upon the recommendation and approval of the Supervisor of Elections, can alter or create precincts for voting in the county. Each precinct will be numbered and, wherever possible composed of "contiguous and compact areas." The Supervisor of Elections will designate a polling place at a suitable location within each precinct. The precinct cannot be changed thereafter except with the consent of the Supervisor and a majority of the members of the Board of County Commissioners.

Polling Place Signs

Each polling place will be identified by a sign, on or near the premises of the polling place, designating the polling place by precinct number. The sign will be large enough to be clearly visible to occupants of passing vehicle traffic on roads adjacent to the polling place, with letters no smaller than 3 inches high, and will be displayed at all times while the polls are open on any election day.

Polling Place Relocations

Whenever the Supervisor of Elections of Hernando County determines that the accommodations for holding any election at a precincct polling place are unavailable or are inadequate for voting, the supervisor may provide, not less than 30 days prior to the holding of an election, that the voting place for such precinct shall be moved to another site which shall be accessible to the public on election day in the precinct or, if such is not available, to another site which shall be accessible to the public on election day in an adjacent precinct.

A notice of the change of the polling place involved will be mailed, at least 14 days prior to an election, to each registered elector or to each household in which there is a registered elector. Additionally, notice of a polling location change will be published within a general circulation local newspaper not more than 30 days or fewer than 7 days prior to the holding of an election. The notice will provide a clear description of the change in voting place.

Emergency Polling Place Relocations

All polling place changes cannot be anticipated in advance. Sometimes a building can become suddenly unavailable due to building damage, road flooding, power failure, or an of a number of reasons. In such cases of emergency and when time does not permit adequate notice, the supervisor of elections will designate a new polling place which will be accessible to the public on election day and shall cause a notice to be posted at the old polling place advising the electors of the location of the new polling place.

FS 101.71, 101.001

Provisional Ballots

Why Would I Have to Vote a Provisional Ballot

At all elections, a voter claiming to be properly registered in the county and eligible to vote at the precinct in the election, but whose eligibility cannot be determined shall be entitled to vote a provisional ballot. Once voted, the provisional ballot shall be placed in a secrecy sleeve and thereafter sealed in a provisional ballot envelope. All provisional ballots shall remain sealed in their envelopes for return to the Supervisor of Elections.

The county canvassing board shall examine each provisional ballot envelope to determine if the person voting that ballot was entitled to vote at the precinct where the person cast a vote in the election and that the person had not already cast a ballot in the election.

• If it is determined that the person was registered and entitled to vote at the precinct where the person cast a vote in the election, the canvassing board shall compare the signature on the provisional ballot envelope with the signature on the voter's registration and if it matches shall count the ballot.
• If it is determined that the person voting the provisional ballot was not registered or entitled to vote at the precinct where the person cast a vote in the election, the provisional ballot shall not be counted and the ballots shall remain in the provisional ballot envelope and the envelope shall be marked "Rejected as Illegal."