Can you vote without going to the polls in Florida? How to get and use a mail ballot

Voters who prefer to avoid the polling place in the 2022 general election can vote from the comfort of their own home — and then mail it in.

But there are deadlines to get a mail ballot, and rules to follow.

Here’s what to know about mail-in ballots in South Florida before the Nov. 8 election:

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

Voters have until 10 days before the election, Oct. 29, to request a mail ballot from their county elections office.

READ MORE: Planning to vote in Miami-Dade, Broward and the Keys? How to cast your ballot early

How can I get a mail ballot?

Here’s how to request a ballot:

Miami-Dade County: The Miami-Dade Elections Department offers several ways to request a vote-by-mail ballot form, available in English, Spanish and Creole.

The county has an online portal to request a ballot. 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: Broward has an online portal to request a vote-by-mail ballot. Requests can also 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.

Monroe County: Monroe offers an online portal to receive a mail-in ballot.

What will I need to register?

You will need one of three identifiers to register for a ballot: a driver’s license number, state-issued ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

Some forms may also ask for your voter registration number.

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

To get a vote-by-mail ballot before Election Day, the request must be made before 5 p.m. Oct. 29.

What are some tips when filling out my ballot?

A vote-by-mail ballot comes with instructions on how to correctly fill it out and mail it back to the elections office.

But here are some key tips given 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?

The vote-by-mail ballot must be received by your local elections office by 7 p.m. Election Day, Nov. 8.

You can’t drop your a ballot off at your designated voting precinct on Election Day. If you wait until Election Day to return it, it can only be submitted at your county’s elections office.

▪ 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. 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. in Doral, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

▪ Broward: The ballot 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. in Lauderhill.

▪ Monroe: Instructions on which Monroe Supervisor of Elections office to return the ballot can be found when you receive one. It can also be turned in at early voting locations and at the Monroe Supervisor of Elections offices.