General Election Voting Resources

As November 3 rapidly approaches, the deadlines to register to vote and request mail-in-ballots are this month.  Monday, October 5, is the voter registration deadline for the General Election.  You may register to vote here.

To find out the best way for you to safely vote this election cycle, visit MyFloridaElections.com. 

View the links below for county-based information from your local Supervisor of Elections office. 

Collier County

• Early Voting
• Vote-By-Mail Information
• Local Voting Precincts

Hendry County

• Early Voting
• Vote-By-Mail Information
• Local Voting Precincts 

Lee County  

• Early Voting
• Vote-By-Mail Information
• Local Voting Precincts 

Request Your Mail-In Vote Ballot

The deadline to request to have a ballot mailed to you is 5:00 p.m., Saturday, October 24.  To track the status of your Vote-By-Mail ballot, click here.

You may request Vote-By-Mail ballot in one of the following ways:

• Submit an online application on your county Supervisors of Elections' website.

• Write (e.g., by email, fax, mail) to Supervisor of Elections.

• Visit your Supervisor of Elections.

• Call your Supervisor of Elections.

Request your V0te-By-Mail ballot online, here: 

• Collier County
• Hendry County
• ​Lee County 

The request must include the following information:

• The voter's name.

• The voter’s address.

• The voter’s date of birth.

• The voter’s signature (if the request is written and the request is to an address other than the one on file). 

• A voter can designate an immediate family member (the designee's spouse or the parent, child, grandparent, or sibling of the designee or of the designee's spouse) or the voter's legal guardian to request the ballot on their behalf.  The following additional information is required for the request.

How To Complete Your Vote-By-Mail Ballot 

To ensure your Vote-By-Mail ballot counts this November, please follow these steps to successfully complete your ballot.  Vote-By-Mail ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections’ office no later than 7 p.m. on November 3rd. 

The USPS recommends that voters mail their completed ballots one week before the due date to account for any unforeseen events such as weather issues and to allow for timely receipt and processing by the elections office.

HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR BALLOT

• Voters MUST personally vote the ballot, unless assistance is required.
• COMPLETELY FILL in the ovals corresponding to the candidate and/or referendums of choice.
• You MUST SIGN the Voter's Certificate on the envelope for your vote to count. 
• Place both the ballot into the secrecy sleeve and then in the return envelope provided. 
• In order for the Vote-by-Mail ballot to be counted, the voter MUST SIGN or apply their legal mark in the box below the voter certificate on the return envelope.
• The signature MUST reasonably match the signature of registration.
• A signature as Power of Attorney WILL NOT be accepted. The ballot will not be counted. 
   

HOW TO RETURN YOUR BALLOT

• The Vote-by-Mail ballot may be returned by mail, express mail, at any drop box location during early voting or in person to the Supervisor of Elections office.  Visit your county's Supervisor of Elections website for early voting locations. 
• Voted ballots WILL NOT be accepted at a polling place on Election Day.
• Affix appropriate postage for Vote-by-Mail ballots returned via mail (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.).  
• Note: Lee County Vote-By-Mail postage is prepaid if you are a county resident. 
• Vote-by-Mail ballots MUST be returned to your Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Flu Season Approaching this Fall As COVID-19 Pandemic Continues

Flu season begins this month in the United States.  However, Southwest Florida typically will not notice the effects until closer to November.  Peak flu season lasts until the end of April. 

This will be the first flu season during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Florida Department of Health urges Floridians to contact their health care provider or pharmacy to get vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible.

Reducing illness and hospitalization from the flu helps keep everyone safer. Save lives by reducing the spread of viruses. 

Publix, CVS and Walgreens, have already begun offering the vaccine in Southwest Florida, with safety measures for protection against COVID-19.

The CDC expects both COVID-19 and the flu to spread this winter.  Experts believe it's possible to have flu and COVID-19 at the same time, but are still studying how common that may be.

Tropical Storm Sally Drenches Southwest Florida & Leaves Coastal Towns Temporarily Flooded

Last month, weather from Tropical Storm Sally drenched Collier and Lee counties and caused nine inches of rain to flood Sanibel and many other coastal neighborhoods.

According to the Naples Daily News, the National Weather Service estimates rainfall totals from Tropical Storm Sally show that inland Lee County received between  2 – 4 inches and Sanibel between 7 – 10 inches.  Collier’s estimated totals show Naples received around six inches in the two-day period.

School District COVID-19 Data & Information Available Online for Collier, Lee and Hendry County

To view local COVID-19 dashboards and find the latest information from your county school district, visit their web page and stay up-to-date about ongoing efforts. 

• Collier County
• Lee County
• Hendry County

Governor Ron DeSantis Initiates Phase Three, Local Mask Mandates Remain 

Late last month, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-244, lifting coronavirus restrictions and suspending virus-related fines and penalties on individuals. 

Officials of Southwest Florida's three local governments with mask mandates have decided to continue their mask mandates until further notice.  This includes Collier County, which has extended the mask mandate until October 22.  Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach mask mandates continue to be in effect as well.

Looking to Get Tested? Visit the Florida Department of Health Webpage for Local Locations

The Florida DOH has released a webpage to help residents easily find testing locations in their area.  For more information, visit: https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/testing-sites/ 

Halloween 2020: Tips for Families to Enjoy Safer-at-Home Activities

As the holiday season approaches, it is clear celebrations will look different.

To help you stay safe and well this Halloween, here are some safer-at-home activities you can encourage your family to participate in:

• Plan a virtual spooky movie night.
• Decorate and carve pumpkins. 
• Take advantage of the extra time at home and turn your home or backyard into your own haunted house. 
• Get creative in the kitchen and prepare some Halloween-themed treats.
• Look for community events focused on safe ways to have fun.  These may include programs offered in outdoor venues in your area.  Stay away from crowds and clustering, and follow safe distance rules even when outdoors.
• Trick-or-treating may be discouraged or canceled in some communities this year.  An at-home scavenger hunt for treats in your home or yard could be a good alternative.

For the CDC's holiday celebration guidelines visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html.

202o Census Deadline is Here,  Complete Today

The 2020 Census takes just a few moments to complete,  and it is more important than ever to make sure Florida is counted this year. 

Earlier last month, I wrote a column urging Floridians to complete their census, so that our state may receive the funding we need to support our growing population.  You can read my column, here. 

Anyone with a computer and internet service can complete their census questionnaire at my2020census.gov.  Data from the U.S. Census will help guide over $675 billion in federal funding to communities for schools, roads, hospitals and more.

You can view each state and county's census response rate on this interactive map.