Summer is officially here, and your Supervisor of Elections office is busy getting ready for the upcoming special elections as well as organizing our voter outreach efforts for the Fall. We are working closely with the State of Florida on implementing the new rules associated with Senate Bill 90 and preparing our budget for the upcoming 2021/2022 fiscal year. We continue to offer the information, education, and access needed for you to become an effective and empowered voter. Please never hesitate to contact our office to ask a question or learn more! Call us at (561) 656-6200, visit www.VotePalmBeach.gov, or email info@VotePalmBeach.gov.
Special Election Update: Congressional District 20 
A Special Election has been called to fill the current vacancy in United States Congressional District 20, which covers portions of Palm Beach and Broward Counties. The Special Primary Election has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 2, 2021; the Special General Election will be held on Tuesday, January 11, 2022.

Early Voting will be available for the Special Primary Election 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., from October 23, 2021 - October 31, 2021; Early Voting for the Special General will be 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., from January 1, 2022 - January 9, 2022.
 
Florida’s Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee declared the qualifying periods for the Special Elections to be from 8:00 a.m., August 9, 2021, through 12:00 p.m., August 10, 2021. Find out more information here regarding candidate qualifying for this Special Election for United States Congressional District 20.
 
The deadline to register to vote in the Special Primary Election is October 4, 2021; the registration deadline for the Special General Election is December 13, 2021.

We encourage the residents of Palm Beach County to keep their voter registration information up to date. If you are not sure whether you live within Congressional District 20, visit the “My Status” page of our website, enter your information, and select “Upcoming Elections” or “View Office Holders” under the voter information tab.


Recent Changes to Florida Election Code
Florida Senate Bill 90 was signed into law on May 6, 2021. The new law took immediate effect, revising specific sections of Florida’s Election Code that affect voters and voting access.
 
Learn how Senate Bill 90 may affect you!

Voter Registration
  • Voter name and party affiliation change requests must be made by submitting a voter registration application.

  • Additional voter information is required when updating your residential address, including your Date of Birth AND the last four digits of Social Security Number or FL Driver License/ID (whichever may be verified by our office).
 
Vote-by-Mail (VBM)
  • One request for a vote-by-mail ballot will cover all elections through the end of the calendar year of the next scheduled general election. Existing "all elections" vote-by-mail requests on file are valid through the end of 2022. A request to receive a vote-by-mail ballot through 2024 must be made after the November 8, 2022 General Election. 

  • A voter requesting a vote-by-mail ballot for themselves must provide their name, address, Date of Birth, Florida Driver License/ID, or the last four digits of their Social Security Number (whichever may be verified by our office), and the voter’s signature when making a written request.

  • If you are making a request for a vote-by-mail ballot on behalf of another voter, you must now also provide the voter’s FL Driver License/ID or their Social Security Number, your relationship to the voter (you must be their legal guardian or immediate family member, including grandchild), as well as your FL Driver License/ID or Social Security Number, if available, and your signature.

  • The check box to extend a vote-by-mail request will no longer appear on the vote-by-mail return envelope. Voters must call, email or submit a written request, and provide the requisite information to receive a vote-by-mail ballot.

  • New restrictions regarding vote-by-mail drop boxes will affect access and availability. Drop boxes will be available at Early Voting locations during Early Voting hours, and at each of our four offices. All drop box hours of operations and locations will be published on our website at least 30 days prior to each election, and all drop boxes will be monitored by elections personnel during hours of operation.

  • Physically possessing more than two vote-by-mail ballots per election in addition to your own ballot or a ballot belonging to an immediate family member is committing a misdemeanor of the first degree.
 
Third-Party Voter Registration Organizations
  • There are new registration requirements for organizations soliciting voter applications.

  • There are new restrictions and penalties regarding the submission of registration applications.

  • Please contact our office if you have any questions about how these changes affect your organization.
 
No-Solicitation Zones
  • Adds vote-by-mail drop boxes to locations protected by the 150 ft. no-solicitation zone.

  • Redefines the term “solicit” to include “engaging in any activity with the intent to influence or effect of influencing a voter.” However, this does not prohibit Supervisor of Elections personnel from providing non-partisan assistance within the no-solicitation zone.

Have questions or want to know more?
or call (561) 656-6200.

 
Office Closed in Observance of Independence Day
Monday, July 5th
Our Elections Offices will be closed on Monday, July 5, 2021 in observance of Independence Day. We wish you a wonderful time as we celebrate this special day in American history. All of our offices will resume regular operating hours on Tuesday, July 6, 2021.


New Branch Office Hours
Please note our new branch office hours of operation: we will now be open Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until further notice.
New Website, Improved Services and Security
As part of our ongoing efforts to increase security, transparency and reliability in our local elections, we have moved our website to a new domain name: www.VotePalmBeach.gov.


At VotePalmBeach.gov, you can continue to get all the information you need about elections in Palm Beach County, such as how to register to vote, learning about upcoming elections, or signing up to become a poll worker.

We are making this important change, because only government agencies can use the .GOV domain name. This creates a greater level of security for our website and ensures the public that the information you receive on our website is accurate. During election time, we strive to ensure you have all the facts and information you need to cast your ballot safely and securely. We want the public and voters to know you can trust the information you receive at VotePalmBeach.gov.

Also, to ensure consistency of information across all of our online media, we have updated our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels to match the new VotePalmBeach name of our website.
 
Check us out online and make sure you
stay up to date on all election issues @VotePalmBeach


Elections Experience Tour
Public gets a chance for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look!
This month, your Elections Team hosted an Elections Experience Tour, where the public and media got to participate in a hands-on learning experience on how ballots are mailed, verified and tabulated to ensure every vote counts. Guided tours, led by Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link, and self-guided tours allowed visitors to ask questions of our Elections Team and learn each step of the elections process from start to finish at nine separate election learning stations at our Voting Equipment Service Center. In light of the incredible interest and feedback we have received from tour participants, we are planning to host additional Elections Experience Tours in the near future. Be sure to sign up for our next open house event!