Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart issued the following statement on Friday regarding the upcoming primary and general elections.
Many voters in Flagler County are considering voting by mail this year and have questions. Others are questioning the integrity of the mail ballot voting process. This is an explanation of how we vote by mail here in Flagler County to answer some questions we have been receiving from voters over the past few weeks.
Frequently Asked Mail Ballot Questions:
- Are mail ballots counted?
- Can anyone vote by mail?
- How do you verify a voter’s identity when they vote by mail?
- How do you ensure a voter’s ballot is kept secret?
- I don’t trust the mail to return my ballot. Can I return my mail ballot in person?
- How do you keep mail ballots secure?
- How do I find out if my ballot has been received and counted?
- I’ve heard of ballot harvesting, does that happen in Florida?
I stand by the mail ballot process in Florida. I vote by mail and it’s also the method of voting that much of my family prefers. Most of my staff and Election Workers vote by mail. During this global pandemic, when the public is asked to avoid crowds and limit social interactions, voting by mail allows many at-risk citizens to participate in democracy, without compromising their health.
Unfortunately, voters are faced with negative information and myths regarding to the mail ballot process in Florida. Election after election, even after thousands of Flagler County voters successfully cast their ballots by mail, we are defending the security of mail ballot voting again this year. Many voters in our county prefer to vote by mail for the convenience of voting from home, due to work, travel, transportation or health reasons. We mail ballots all over the world to overseas citizens and our military service members who are serving overseas. Florida has been a no-excuse absentee (also known as Vote-By-Mail) state for almost 20 years.
We do not conduct all mail ballot elections in Florida and that’s not going to happen in 2020 or anytime in the foreseeable future. There will be in-person voting options, as always, for voters who choose to vote early or on Election Day. We don’t know how long this pandemic will last and we are planning to do our best to keep our election poll workers and our voters safe. Our workers will have face shields, masks and gloves. Voters will be asked to practice social distancing while voting. As in March, during the Presidential Preference Primary election, surfaces and equipment will be cleaned with disinfecting wipes throughout the day.
Are mail ballots counted?
Yes! One of the biggest myths is that Vote by Mail ballots are not counted unless a race is close. All mail ballots are verified and counted in every election. In fact, they are among the first results you see on Election Night. During the General Election in 2018, we had a record number of mail ballots returned: 14,649 mail ballots which was 27.5% of the total turnout during that election. Our most recent election was held on March 17, 2020. During this Presidential Preference Primary Election, there were 9,537 mail ballots cast, which was 43.3% of the total turnout for that election. Mail ballots are opened during a public meeting of the Canvassing Board, where teams are used to separate envelopes and their contents to ensure a voter’s secrecy. Ballots are tabulated (counted) during the same meeting and all three members of the Canvassing Board (County Judge, County Commissioner and Supervisor of Elections) verify the totals. We meet to open and count mail ballots several times during an election cycle.
Can anyone vote by mail?
Yes, any registered voter in Flagler County can request a mail ballot. According to Federal law, ballots for overseas citizens and our military service members are mailed 45 days prior to an election. All other ballots are mailed up to 40 days prior to an election. Voted ballots can be returned any time prior to Election Day at 7:00 P.M. A postmark does not extend this deadline.
How do you verify a voter’s identity when they vote by mail?
In order to vote by mail, a citizen must be registered to vote and provide ID at the time of registering. If no ID is provided, the voter must return a copy of their ID along with their balloting materials and complete an affidavit. In order for a mail ballot to be counted, the signature on the returned voter’s certificate must match the signature on file. Each one of the thousands of mail ballot envelope signatures are reviewed by trained Elections Office staff, a process which takes many hours. In the most recent Presidential Preference Primary election, we reviewed over 9,500 signatures. If there is a difference, the ballot is escalated for review by two other staff members. A voter whose ballot signature is missing or does not match is contacted by mail, phone and/or email immediately and instructed to complete an affidavit. They must provide photo ID to “cure” the signature difference. If the ballot return envelope is not signed, the ballot cannot be counted unless the same affidavit and ID are provided.
How do you ensure a voter’s ballot is kept secret?
During the public meeting of the Canvassing Board, teams of two people open and separate the ballot from the returned envelopes. The number of teams is typically determined by the number of ballots being opened and the number of election poll workers available. Ballots are opened by precinct and each team counts one precinct at a time. The first team member removes the contents of the envelope and passes the ballot and secrecy sleeve to their team member who is seated across the table. This process is important because the name of the voter who was mailed a ballot is printed on the return ballot envelope while the contents of the ballot envelope (the ballot itself and the secrecy sleeve) do not have any identifying information. The second team member does not see any of the ballot envelopes.
The second team member removes the ballot from the secrecy sleeve, unfolds it and places it face down. This process continues until all the envelopes in that precinct have been opened. Each team member counts and they reconcile the empty envelopes with the number of ballots. The teams do not know how many ballots are in each precinct. When finished, they announce their total and it is compared to the number received by the office by the Canvassing Board members. The numbers must match, or the ballots and envelopes are counted again. We often receive thousands of mail ballots during a busy election cycle and this process can take several hours. After a precinct total is verified by the Canvassing Board, the ballots are moved to tabulation and counted. The tabulation team is comprised of trained Elections Office staff who again verify the totals by precinct. At the end of the meeting, the grand total is verified by the Canvassing Board.
I don’t trust the mail to return my ballot. Can I return my mail ballot in person?
Many voters prefer to drop off their voted mail ballot in person. Secure ballot drop boxes are available at all early voting sites during voting hours. Ballots placed in our drop boxes are returned to the office by Elections Office staff at the end of every early voting day. This means the Elections Office will receive your voted ballot the same day you drop it off at an early voting site. We also have a secure ballot drop box at the entrance of the Elections Office in Bunnell, which is under video surveillance and available 24 hours, 7 days a week. During an election cycle, ballots returned in our office drop box are collected several times a day by Elections Office staff. You may also visit the Elections Office in person during office hours to return your ballot to our front counter. Please remember that your voted mail ballot must be returned by 7:00 P.M. on Election Day in order to be counted. A postmark does not extend this deadline. We recommend you mail your ballot at least a week prior to the election, to ensure delivery to the Elections Office. If you are in the county and still have your voted mail ballot on Election Day, it’s best to deliver it directly to the Elections Office no later than 7:00 P.M.
How do you keep mail ballots secure?
When a mail ballot is received, it is date stamped and checked in by precinct. Once the voter’s identity is confirmed, the ballot envelopes are counted and sorted by precinct. Mail ballots are received daily and those returned each day are added to the cumulative total. We balance these ballots received daily and the totals are reconciled before staff leaves for the day. They are stored in our fireproof vault, which is under video surveillance and our security procedures require two-person control to enter. The ballots are stored there until they are opened and counted during a public meeting of the Canvassing Board.
How do I find out if my ballot has been received and counted?
We provide an online ballot tracking service for all voters who prefer to vote by mail. To use this service, simply visit www.FlaglerElections.com/vbm and enter your information. You can see the date your ballot was mailed and whether or not it has been received and counted. We work closely with the USPS and have intelligent mail tracking information for every ballot which leaves our office.
I’ve heard of ballot harvesting, does that happen in Florida?
Ballot harvesting is the collection and return of absentee or mail-in ballots by any third-party, including volunteers or paid workers. States have different laws and court rulings in various states have sometimes allowed harvesting and sometimes forbidden it. Ballot harvesting is illegal in Florida.
Section 104.0616, Florida Statutes makes it a criminal offense for a person to provide or offer to provide, or to accept, a pecuniary or other benefit “in exchange for” distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, delivering, or otherwise physically possessing more than two vote-by-mail ballots per election (other than his or her own or that of his or her immediate family).
A designee may pick up a blank vote-by-mail ballot for another voter. An example of this would be a voter who planned on voting on Election Day but is unexpectedly in the hospital. A family member can pick up their ballot, with certain restrictions. The designee is limited to picking up the following blank ballots (besides his or her own ballot):
- Ballots for two other voters (that do not fall in the categories below).
- One ballot for any member of his or her immediate family: spouse, parent, child, grandparent or sibling or spouse’s parent, grandparent or sibling.
A designee can pick up a ballot for another voter only within the 9-day period before Election Day and on Election Day. The designee must have a written, signed authorization from the voter in order to pick up their ballot and present photo ID.
Quick facts about mail ballot voting:
- Florida has been a no-excuse absentee state for almost 20 years. The Legislature passed this law following the 2000 recount.
- Thirty-four (34) states, including Florida, do not require an excuse from those who wish to vote absentee or by mail. Five (5) of those states conduct elections entirely by mail: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
- The remaining sixteen (16) states require voters to provide an “excuse” for why they will not be able to vote on Election Day. Some of these states provide early voting, others do not have early voting. Reference for #2-4: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/vopp-table-1-states-with-no-excuse-absentee-voting.aspx
- According to Census data, 30.7% of Flagler County’s population is over the age of 65. Source: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/flaglercountyflorida
This information is being provided because we have a large population of voters in our county which are considered “at-risk” and many are contacting our office to request a mail ballot.
There’s still plenty of time to request your ballot to be mailed for this election year. Vote from the safety of your home. Call (386) 313-4170 or place your request to for a mail ballot online: www.FlaglerElections.com/vbm
2020 Primary mail dates:
- Overseas voters: July 3, 2020
- All other ballots: July 14, 2020
I’d be happy to explain the process in more detail to anyone who has questions. Call the Elections Office at (386) 313-4170, Monday through Friday from 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. or send an email to [email protected]
Your vote counts!
Kaiti Lenhart was elected Flagler County Supervisor of Elections in 2016, and on Friday was re-elected to a second term without opposition.
Wow says
Trump himself actually votes by mail from his “home” in Florida.
Percy's mother says
How do YOU know Trump votes by mail ? (FROM his “home” in Florida, no less)
The more one listens to network or cable news, the less one actually knows.
Bill C says
keep your fingers in your ears and don’t believe your lying eyes. what a nut!
Carol says
Why would he vote by mail from his home in Fl. when his residence is in NYC where right up until he became President he lives. Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s true.
Stephen Smith says
Good information for all.
Thank You.
Don Appignani says
Kati is a breath of fresh air in these times when we hear and read numerous claims of why we shouldn’t vote by mail along with other conspiracy theories. I have known Kati for about 7-8 years and her integrity is unquestionable. My family and I have been voting by mail for years now. We get to sit at the dining room table, discuss our opinions amongst each other, take our time reviewing the language with the constitutional amendments, if need be research them, and fill out the ballot at our leisure. We don’t need to know where our polling place is, don’t have to wait on line and don’t have to fight traffic or weather. All one needs to do is request a mail in ballot and your good for the next 2 years. You can go online and check to see that they received your ballot. If one is not comfortable using the US Postal Service to send in their ballot, they can always drop it off.
Voting by mail is the only way to go. In fact, we have the technology to vote safely via the Internet, but too many people would freak out and say it isn’t safe.
Anyone who disagrees with me please drive to the polls and vote in person. I will continue to vote at my leisure in the safety of my own home.
S. Florida says
I want to vote in person. Is there a place even open? If ppl can go to Walmart, then we should be able to go to voting polls.
I along with my friends don’t want to do mail in voting.
Carol says
If people are allowed to protest and gather in large crowds such as that, then why can’t we go to the polls and vote? Why are you people so hell bent on us voting by mail? I don’t trust it and I’m not voting by mail.
Willy Boy says
The State of Florida has done such a splendid job with distributing unemployment, and other government money benefits during the pandemic, that there should be no reason to doubt its ability to safeguard the voting system.
Nenemalo says
Safe ???
Yes, maybe in Flagler and some other counties throughout the US but those are far and few between. Either way, I’m placing my vote directly, in person at the polls. Everyone should be doing the same regardless of the safety claims to ensure that at some point, something intentional and/or not intentional doesn’t alter the votes of those who are privileged to vote in America the beautiful.
QuitLying says
Of course…….If you are legit then a mail in ballot is safe and fine, but if you’re looking to use outdated voter data to commit fraud, the mail in ballot poses big problems.
Jumbo says
May be safe and honorable in Flagler County, but other places around the country are notorious for cheating (Daly County?) in Chicago and other places
Jane Gentile-Youd says
‘SAFETY’ measures use to obtain ID proof is the big question. Until several years ago foreigners could obtain US drivers licenses and back in 1998 when I was a volunteer to register people to vote I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO ASK THEM TO EVEN SHOWS A DRIVER’S LICENSE, NOR BIRTH OR BATISMAL NOR CITIZEN PAPERS.
Tell me Kaiti how can you check that the voter registered years ago when the rules were very lax – especially in Florida and I signed up to vote here in 1976 so please give me an answer that will give me more confidence than ‘comparing signatures’.
Are you staff trained to be handwriting experts? Read Colucci et al, vs. Metro Dade County , 3rdDCA ruling on our behalf and tell me that absentee ballots are full proof! Linda Colucci and I overturned the very first ‘absentee’ election on Sep 14 or 15 ( 1987) when we proved ( pro se) to the canvassing 74 out of the 850 votes should have never been opened and counted because the master envelope did not either a notary or witness, It took almost a year to write the brief because there were a group of political thugs who wanted to form a ‘security guard gate with 4 guards’ on our PUBLIC ROAD just to look good for our community. Our group CASE Citizens Against Special Election members are mostly still around …we got justice in the end and saved at least $1,000 a year in unnecessary taxes. and after what living hell the County Attorney put your predecessor through I would be very carful before bragging about the security of a mail in ballot.
What next: Join the military by mail?
Become a plastic surgeon by on-line courses and mail in tests?
Only with a doctors note of endangerment of person’s health or physically unable – or serving in the U.S. Military or are working for an American Company Overseas should absentee ballots be allowed. I am emphatic and ‘unanimous’ in disagreeing with your seemingly care-free attitude.
But I think the world of you and your staff as wonderful people who otherwise get an A+++++ from me.
Mike Cocchiola says
Flagler County voters… you know why Trump is leading the Republican attack on vote by mail. He knows if he can discredit VBM he’ll reduce the number of voters. He has already admitted to Republican Party leaders that if everyone voted by mail, he’d lose and so would every other Republican. That alone should get you to vote by mail.
Be assured – voting by mail is safe, secure, convenient and legal. Do not be confused or discouraged or frightened by anyone telling you otherwise. They are only trying to limit voting, and when they limit voting, our democracy is undermined and they win.
Don’t let the disrupters, the right-wing crazies win. Vote by mail and save our American democracy.
CB from PC says
Mike How about posting some of the “solutions” up the sleeve of the Democrats to provide decent jobs, business growth and promotion of the economic interests of the United States.
And how all Citizens, And anyone else here legally, will participate. You want “dialogue”? Here is your opportunity to start one. Or, are You just the opposite side of the blowhard coin with Joe Mullins on the other side?
CB from PC says
And you make sure those right wing crazies don’t commandeer that USPS truck hauling those ballots while exercising their Second Amendment Rights.
Cheryl Connolly says
Joe, not certain where you got your info. Trump is not anti-mail-in-ballot in Florida and has even sent messages suggesting that voting by mail in Florida is safe as that is more absentee ballot which is safe. Rather than unsolicited random ballots sent out to whosoever will (even dogs and cats names). All election law is not created equal….state’s rights you know. Check your state. Also, I’ve also suspected for years that there may have been “snow birds” who may have been voting in two states because election rolls are not cleaned up in general. I still get phone calls, e-mails, etc. from NYS regarding my voting preferences in NY. Actually, I lived in two different towns in NY and probably am still on each of those election polls. I’ve lived in two different counties down here and still get info from both. Makes me wonder????
Dennis says
Of course you would say that. Hopefully it is not corrupt. But, I have always believed, never believe a politician. They will tell you exactly what your want to hear then they do as they want or as the party tells them.
tulip says
We will still have a choice on where to vote, either in person or by absentee or mail ballot. I think it’s a good idea to have the option to vote by mail at hand in case the Covid virus spikes high again and causes us more misery. Forewarned is forearmed. Even if you have an absentee ballot sent to you, you can still vote in person if you change your mind. There is no fear of people voting by mail then voting again in person, because of the safeguards in place and whichever method you use your name and info is recorded that you voted and put into the computers.
Filling out an online ballot does make me nervous because it’s way to easy to hack computer systems . I have voted absentee ballot for several years and never had a problem with it.
Sal says
Incase your not paying attention corona virus had has already spiked in Florida and people should not be going out in Public but staying Home! Coronavirus is worse now then ever. Please be careful your state will not protect you! STAY HOME!!
Richard says
Ever since registering to vote in Flagler County back in 2016 I have always voted by mail ballot. I find that more convenient than taking time to stand in line at my voting location.
palmcoaster says
Nothing wrong with by mail vote! I have friends that are bed ridden or their spouses busy caring for them, or travelling on election day. Trump and wife vote by mail soo? All our military heroes overseas vote by mail…so they are cheating too? C’mon! Thank you Kati for the reassurance!
Agkistrodon says
Based on the most recent actions of both political parties, and the way BOTH their registered voters talk about each other, nd conduct themselves, about now the sovereign citizen movement is beginning to look more and more appealing, and that is a truly sad situation.
CB from PC says
Flagler MAY, and I say, MAY be diligent in insuring the validity of mail-in ballots.
Other Counties, such as Broward are suspect. Thankfully, after a long history of “malfeasance”, starting in 2004, Brenda Snipes, registered Democrat and Supervisor of Elections in Broward was formally fired in 2018.
Can’t wait to see what kind of tactics will be employed to prop Biden into the WH.
After the lies, phony dossier and “investigations” to unseat a legally elected President of the past 4 years, the integrity of the 2020 voting process, especially in Democrat Party strongholds is questionable.
Ray says
What happens if no body voted? Who would win? all you smart people should know this!
Realist says
Why is it votes always seem to flip to democrats. I do not trust anyone.
Frank Lago says
Handycap
Can we drop off our mail in ballot at a voting site without standing on line?