NEWS RELEASE: Collier County Supervisor of Elections Begins First Mailing of Domestic Mail/Absentee Ballots for the 2012 General Election
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
October 01, 2012
For more information contact:
April Donahue
Communications/Election Worker Coordinator
Supervisor of Elections Office
(239) 252-8052
Approximately 38,000 domestic mail/absentee ballots to be mailed tomorrow
Collier County, FL—October 1, 2012: The Collier County Supervisor of Elections office will send its first mailing of approximately 38,000 domestic mail/absentee ballots tomorrow, October 2nd, for the upcoming November 6th General Election.
Every registered voter is encouraged to take advantage of voting by mail/absentee. Each valid absentee ballot will be counted. Voters may submit requests online via the CollierVotes.com “Vote by Mail” web page. Requests can also be made by phone to the Supervisor of Elections office at (239) 252-8450. By law, mail/absentee ballots are not forwarded and can only be delivered to the address provided to the Supervisor of Elections office.
“Absentee ballots signal the start of actual voting for each election,” said Jennifer J. Edwards, Collier County Supervisor of Elections. “Many voters don’t realize that every valid absentee ballot is counted, and in fact absentee ballot votes are among the first results released on Election Day.”
The deadline for voters to request a General Election absentee ballot to be delivered by mail is October 31st at 5:00pm. After that date, voters can pick up their absentee ballots at the Supervisor of Elections office after calling in their request. Voted absentee ballots must be returned to the Collier County Supervisor of Elections office by 7:00pm on Election Day, November 6th. Ballots can be dropped off at the main office or Orange Blossom branch, or mailed back in the official ballot envelope provided. As the ballot consists of three printed sheets, the extra weight requires postage of $0.65 (65 cents). The voter’s signature is required on the outside of the ballot return envelope.
Voters who receive a mail/absentee ballot and decide to vote in person during Early Voting or at their assigned precinct on Election Day should bring their marked or unmarked mail/absentee ballot to the polls so it can be cancelled.
For additional absentee voting requirements, visit the CollierVotes.com "Mail/Absentee" information page. Citizens who are not yet registered to vote must do so before October 9th in order to participate in the General Election. For more details, and to update your voter information, visit www.CollierVotes.com or call the Supervisor of Elections office at (239) 252-8450.
1752