Absentee Ballot Information

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What is absentee voting?

Absentee voting is a service offered by the Supervisor of Elections for registered voters who do not wish to vote in person.

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Any registered voter in Collier County may request an absentee ballot.

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How do I request an absentee ballot?

Contact the Supervisor of Elections office to request an absentee ballot by selecting one of the following:

• Online Absentee Ballot Request Form
• by mail
• by telephone
• in person at the Supervisor of Elections Office

Only the voter, their immediate family member or their legal guardian may request the voter's absentee ballot for any election.
Immediate family members include:

• spouse
• grandparent
• parent
• child
• sibling
• spouse's grandparent
• spouse's parent
• spouse's child
• spouse's sibling

To request an absentee ballot, the voter must provide the following information:

• name
• date of birth
• current Collier County residential address
• address to which the ballot will be mailed IF different from the current residential address (THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE CANNOT FORWARD ABSENTEE BALLOTS)
• signature (written requests only)

Requests for absentee ballots to be sent by mail must be received no later than 6 days prior to each election. 

If an immediate family member is making the request for the voter, the following must be provided in addition to the information above:

• name of the family member making the request
• relationship of the family member making the request
• address of the family member making the request
• driver license number of the family member making the request (if available)
• signature of the family member making the request (written requests only)

A qualified absentee voter may designate, in writing, another person to pick up an absentee ballot for the voter. Pick up ballots are available to a designee beginning 5 days prior to Election Day. The designee may only pick up 2 absentee ballots per election other than his or her own, except for ballots picked up for members of his or her immediate family. The designee must complete an affidavit, and must provide a photo and signature identification and the written authorization from the voter. Candidates may only pick up absentee ballots for members of their immediate family. 

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When will I receive my absentee ballot?

For voters who have requested an absentee ballot, mailing begins approximately 4 weeks prior to each election.

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How do I vote my absentee ballot?

Voters must personally vote the ballot (unless assistance is required due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write).

• Completely blacken in the ovals corresponding to the candidate and/or referendums of choice.
• Place the completed ballot in the enclosed green secrecy sleeve (also known as a secrecy "envelope").
• Place both the ballot and the secrecy sleeve in the return envelope provided. (Please note: failure to include the secrecy sleeve DOES NOT invalidate the ballot.)
• In order for the absentee 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. Signing by a Power of Attorney is not acceptable. Signature Updates
• The absentee ballot may be returned by mail or in person to the Supervisor of Elections Office. Voted ballots cannot be accepted at a polling place or an early voting site.
• Affix appropriate postage for absentee ballots returned via mail.
• Voted ballots must be received no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

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What if I am in the military or an overseas voter?

Military Personnel, Military Dependants, and Overseas Civilian Voters may apply for voter registration and/or request absentee ballots using the online request form, by phone, or by sending a written request to the Supervisor of Elections office. They may also apply with a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) which may be obtained from the Unit Voting Officer or by visiting http://www.fvap.gov/. 

U.S. Embassies and Consulates can assist in completing FPCA forms, and mailing absentee ballots or other election materials. Federal portions of Presidential Preference Primary and General Election ballots voted by persons outside the U.S. are counted if signed no later than Election Day and received within 10 days after the election. Additional military election information is available from:

www.fvap.gov
FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Washington Headquarters Services
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington DC 20301-1155
Toll-free 800-438-8683

Absentee Request information for Military Personnel, Military Dependants and Overseas Civilian Voters:

• Military Personnel, Military Dependants and Overseas Civilian Voters (or their immediate family members on their behalf) may request an absentee ballot online, by mail, fax, telephone, or FPCA as indicated above.
• All Military and Overseas Voters may receive a ballot by mail, fax, or email; however, Military Voters Stateside may not return voted returned ballots by fax or email.
• Only Overseas Military and Overseas Civilian Voters may return voted ballots by fax.
       ~ Send them by fax to: (239) 252-2630, or 
       ~ Ballots may be returned by mail, but please allow sufficient time for delivery to us.
• Although web based applications to receive ballots may be available for the 2014 Election Cycle at this time no ballots returned by email can be accepted.

An online "Absentee Request Form" or fax request must include:

• name of the voter requesting the ballot
• voter's date of birth
• voter's county of legal residence in Florida or last legal Collier County residential address
• voter's signature (when applicable)
• Military, Military Dependant or Civilian Overseas status
• Address stateside, APO/FPO/DPO or other overseas address, and
       ~ if the voter requests the ballot be transmitted by email, an email address
       ~ the voter requests the ballot be faxed, a fax number
       ~ if the voter requests the ballot mailed, a deliverable address
• Upon verification of the voter's eligibility, the Supervisor of Elections office will provide the appropriate absentee ballot, voter certificate, instructions for voting and instructions for returning the ballot and voter certificate.

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