More than 600,000 mail-in ballots sent to South Florida homes. Here’s how you get one

Election season is upon us as hundreds of thousands of vote-by-mail ballots have been sent to homes across South Florida this week.

Mail-in ballots are an easier option to avoid long lines ahead of the upcoming primary election, on Aug. 23. Many had taken to mail-in voting in the 2020 election, which led to new laws that have slightly changed the process.

READ MORE HERE: Mail ballots, drop boxes targeted in voting bill passed by Legislature

On Thursday, the Miami-Dade County Elections Department will send more than 395,000 ballots, and the Broward County Supervisor of Elections will be mailing over 300,000.

While the first batch has been sent, it’s not too late for other voters to request to get one too.

Here’s everything you need to know on getting, filling out and returning vote-by-mail ballots:

Where can I sign up to get a vote-by-mail ballot?

Requesting a vote-by-mail ballot is a bit different this year as legislation passed by lawmakers in 2021 added new steps in the request process.

Floridians will no longer be able to have more than two vote-by-mail ballots, which was already outlawed in Miami-Dade County. Voters must now also give their driver’s license number, state-issued ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number to request a vote-by-mail ballot.

Here’s how to go about requesting a ballot:

Miami-Dade County: The Miami-Dade Elections Department offers several ways to request a vote-by-mail ballot form, which can be given in English, Español or Kreyòl.

The county has an online portal to request a ballot on its website. The ballot request form can also be emailed (to votebymail@miamidade.gov), faxed (to 305-499-8401) or mailed (to Vote-by-Mail Ballot Section, Supervisor of Elections, P.O. Box 521250, Miami, FL 33152). A request can also be made by calling the elections office at 305-499-8444

Broward County: Similar to Miami-Dade, Broward also has an online portal to request a vote-by-mail ballot. Aside from the portal, request forms can be made by phone (to 954-357-7055); fax (to 954-357-7070); mail (to P.O. Box 29001 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302); and email (to votebymailrequest@browardvotes.gov). The request form can be found here.

What’s the deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot?

In order to get a vote-by-mail ballot before Election Day, the request must be made before 5 p.m. on Aug. 13.

What should I remember when filling out my vote-by-mail ballot?

Vote-by-mail ballots come with instructions on how to correctly fill it out and prepare it for mailing it back to the elections office.

But the process can get a little overwhelming, so here are some tips offered by the Miami-Dade Elections Department

▪ Complete and return the vote-by-mail ballot as soon as possible

▪ Mark your ballot in secret

▪ Use a black or blue ballpoint pen to complete your ballot

▪ Sign your name inside the red signature box on the back of the Voter’s Certificate envelope.

How can I return my ballot?

As part of new 2021 legislation, vote-by-mail ballots can now be returned to drop boxes during early voting hours.

A ballot can also not be dropped off at a voter’s designated voting precinct on Election Day. If a voter does wait until Election Day, they can only submit the ballot at their county’s Elections Department before 7 p.m. or opt to vote in-person at their precinct.

▪ Miami-Dade: There are several ways you can return your ballot in Miami-Dade. First, you can return it by mail to Vote-by-Mail Ballot Section, Supervisor of Elections, P.O. Box 521250, Miami, FL 33152. The Elections Department must receive the ballot before 7 p.m. on Election Day so remember to mail the ballot early.

The ballot can physically be turned in at any early voting location during operating hours, or dropped off at the Miami-Dade Elections Department, 2700 NW 87th Ave., Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

▪ Broward: Turning in a ballot in Broward is quite similar to in Miami-Dade. It can be mailed to the Elections Department and must be received before 7 p.m. on Election Day. Mailed ballots must be addressed to P.O. Box 29001, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302.

Ballots can also be turned in to early voting locations and directly to the Broward County Supervisor of Elections, at 1501 NW 40th Ave.