WASHINGTON COUNTY, FLORIDA                         

 2022 ELECTION DATES 

Primary Election Day:
August 23,2022
Deadline to Register - July 25, 2022

General Election Day:
November 8, 2022
Deadline to Register - October 11, 2022
 

www.wcsoe.gov

Carol Rudd: Supervisor of Elections
Wendy Mayo: Assistant Supervisor
 

WASHINGTON COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS

1424 Jackson Ave., Ste C
Chipley, Florida 32428
Phone (850)638-6230
Fax (850)638-6238
Email [email protected]

 REGISTERING TO VOTE
 Registration forms are available in
our office, driver's license offices, public libraries or public assistance agencies, or a printable version is available on our website. Complete the form in accordance with the instructions provided and mail or bring it to our office. If you need assistance, we're just a phone call away: (850)638-6230.  

To register and vote in Florida, you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States of America and a legal resident of Florida and of the county where you intend to vote.
• Be 18 years old. You can pre-register on or after your 16th birthday and may vote in elections and sign petitions for ballot measures or candidates on or after your 18th birthday.
• Not be adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting unless that right has been restored.
• Not be a convicted felon unless you have had your civil right restored.

IN FLORIDA, VOTER REGISTRATION BOOKS CLOSE 29 DAYS BEFORE EACH ELECTION. 

PRIMARY ELECTION

Florida is a closed primary state. That means that only voters who are registered members of political parties may vote for their respective party's candidates in the primary election. Voters without party affiliation are not eligible to vote for party candidates in a primary election. However, if all candidates have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general election, all qualified voters, regardless of party affiliation, may vote in the primary election for that office. This is known as a Universal Primary Contest.

Nonpartisan judicial and school board offices, nonpartisan  special districts and local referendum questions are included in some primary elections. All registered voters, including those without party affiliation, are entitled to receive and vote these ballots for their respective districts.

CHANGING YOUR RECORD

ADDRESS CHANGES: If you move to another address in Washington County, you must let us know of your new address. Do this easily at our website or by email and be sure to include your birth date. you may also call or visit us, or mail or fax to us a signed written notice that includes your birth date. If you move to another Florida
county, you may update your address in the same manner by contacting the Supervisor of Elections in your new county.

If you have moved your residence, you must vote in the precinct to which you have moved. If you are registered voter in Washington County and you have moved to another address in Washington County but HAVE NOT provided change of address information to our office prior to Election Day, you will be required to provide that info before you can vote. To avoid delays at the polling place, you should update your address with us whenever you move. Remember: You may quickly and easily update your address on our website or by phone.

NAME CHANGES: If you change your name by marriage or other legal process, you must notify us in writing. The easiest way to do this is to use a Florida Voter Registration Application, or you may provide us wit an original signed, written notice that includes 

your birth date or voter registration number. if you have not provided this info prior to going to vote, the precinct clerk will give you a form that you must complete to submit your name change at the polls before voting.

PARTY AFFILIATION CHANGES: To change your party affiliation, you must notify us in writing. The easiest way to do this is to use a Florida Voter Registration Application, or you may provide us with an original signed, written notice that includes your date of birth or voter registration number. You cannot change your party at the polling place. To b effective for a primary election, a party change must be made at least 29 days before the primary election.

SIGNATURE UPDATES: It is very important for you to keep your signature current with our office. Signatures on registration record are used to verify signatures on petitions and on the envelopes of provisional and absentee ballots. If your signatures do no match, your petitions or ballot will not count. Signature updates for provisional and absentee ballot verification purposed must be submitted no later than the start of canvassing of absentee ballots, which occurs in Washington  County on Election Day. To update your signature, provide our office with a voter registration application indicating a signature update.

VOTE BY MAIL

All qualified voters are permitted to vote absentee under Florida law. Unless it's an emergency, it's best not to wait until the last minute to request a vote by mail ballot.

By Florida law, only you or your immediate family members may request a vote by mail ballot for you. If you need someone to pic up an absentee ballot for you, the law i very specific regarding written permission, affidavits, and dates that pickup is allowed. Please call our office or visit our website for this information.

The Legislature frequently changes the law with regard to how many elections may be covered by one absentee request. If you are an absentee voter and are unsure of your absentee status, please all our office.

EARLY VOTING

If you are an absent uniformed services voter, overseas uniformed services voter or overseas voter, visit out website or contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program for information on registering and voting absentee. The FVAP's toll-free hotline is 1-800-438-8683, and their website is  https://www.fvap.gov/

Early voting starts in our office 15 before each election, ending on the Saturday before the election. Sue to changes to Florida's election laws, early voting dates and hours may vary by county. Washington County's schedule will be advertised before early voting begins.

IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

PHOTO and SIGNATURE I.D. are required to be presented before voting. If you do not present picture and signature identification, you will be required to vote a provisional ballot.

APPROVED IDENTIFICATIONS: 

HOW TO VOTE 

ACCESSIBLE VOTING EQUIPMENT FOR DISABLED VOTERS: 
In addition to the DS200 optical-scan machine, all of our polling places are equipped with accessible voting systems for persons with disabilities to enable them to vote without assistance. Persons with disabilities or those who cannot read or write and desire help may designate someone of his or her own choice. other than an employer or an officer or agent of his or her union, to provide such assistance. Poll workers may also provide assistance.

Marking your ballot is easy. Just fill in the oval next to the candidate of your choice.

WHEN YOU GO TO VOTE: 
To vote (whether early voting or at the polls on Election Day), you must show a photo and signature ID (see "Identification Requirements" in this guide). When you arrive to vote, once your identity has been established, you will be asked t sign the precinct register and then you will be allowed to vote. If you need assistance, please inform the poll worker. If you make a mistake when voting on a paper ballot, ask for a replacement. You may receive up to two replacements (or a total of three ballots).

If your eligibility to vote cannot be determined or you do not have the proper ID, you will be entitled to vote a provisional ballot. You'll be given written notice of your rights regarding the provisional ballot at that time. For more info on provisional ballots, contact our office.

	ELECTION DAY VOTING HOURS 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (CT) (unless extended by Executive Order of the Governor of Florida)
	Check your voter information card to determine your polling place. You may also find your polling place on our website, or just give us a call.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do the courts get prospective jurors' names from voter registration rolls? No. Names for jurors come from the driver's license offices. The only exception is Federal Court.

Must I choose a party when I register to vote? No, it's not a requirement. Voters registered as "no party affiliation" (NPA) may not vote for party candidates in a primary election but may vote for nonpartisan races (like school board and judicial) and referenda. The exception is when all candidates in a race are the same party and the winner will be determined in the primary election - then all voters may vote in that race, called a Universal Primary Contest. For general elections, all voters receive the same ballot and may vote for any candidate or question on the ballot for their district.

I'm registered as NPA. Why can't I vote for anybody I want in a primary election? Florida is a closed primary state. That means that the primary elections are "nominating" elections for the political parties. In primary elections, voters registered NPA can only vote the nonpartisan races, such as school board and judicial, and for referenda and Universal Primary Contests. Call our office for more information.

I have just moved. Is there anything I need to do about voter registration? Yes, your voter registration should always reflect your current residence address. If you move after you have registered to vote, please notify us. See "Changing Your Record" in this guide for more information.

There's a polling place closer to my home than the one I'm assigned to. Why can't I vote in the closer to my home? In Florida, each voter must be registered AND vote in the precinct of his or her residence.A post office box or business address cannot be used as a substitute for your true residence address for voting or for signing petitions for candidates or issues.

What happens if I forget to bring my ID to the polls? Florida law entitles you to vote a provisional ballot, which is a conditional ballot, the validity of which will be determined by the Canvassing Board. If you vote a provisional ballot because you don't have the proper identification, it will be counted if your signature on the Provisional Ballot Voter's Certificate and Affirmation matches your signature on record in our office and if you voted in the proper precinct.

More questions? Give us a call @ (850)638-6230

WWW.WCSOE.GOV

Always Open!

Many activities relating to your voter registration and elections that used toC require a trip or phone call to the Supervisor of Elections Office may now be conveniently accomplished through our website.

• Complete & print a Voter Registration Application
• Check our personal voter registration status
• Change your address
• Find your polling place, including directions, a map & a photo
• Get election results, current & past
• View a candidate list, sample ballots & candidate biographies & financial reports (when available)
• See current deadlines & election dates
• Get contact info for elected officials for Washington County - local, state & national
• View archive lists of elected officials, & more!

OFFICES TO BE FILLED IN 2022

State Offices:
   Governor
   Lieutenant Governor
   Attorney General
   Chief Financial Officer
   Florida Senate - District 2 
   Representative in Congress (all districts)

Multicounty & District Offices:
    State Representative (all districts)

County Offices:
   Board of County Commissioners,  Districts 2 & 4
   School Board (nonpartisan), Districts 1, 4 & 5
    County Judge (nonpartisan)

Circuit Judges (nonpartisan):
Only those whose terms expire January 2022

Voter's Bill of Rights

(Section 101.031, Florida Statutes)

Each registered voter in this state has the right to:

1. Vote and have his or her vote accurately counted.
2. Cast a vote if he or she is in line at the official closing of the polls in that county.
3. Ask for and receive assistance in voting.
4. Receive up to two replacement ballots if he or she makes a mistake prior to the ballot being cast.
5. An explanation if his or her registration or identity is in question.

Voter Responsibilities
Voter's Bill of Rights

(Section 101.031, Florida Statutes)

Each registered voter in this state should:

1. Familiarize himself or herself with the candidates and issues.
2. Maintain with the office of the supervisor of elections a current address.
3. Know the location of his or her polling place and its hours of operation.
4. Bring proper identification to the polling station.
5. Familiarize himself or herself with the operation of the voting equipment in his or her precinct.
6. Treat precinct workers with courtesy.
7. Respect the privacy of other voters
8. Report any problems or violation of election laws to the supervisor of elections.
9. Ask questions, if needed.
10. Make sure that his or her completed ballot is correct before leaving the polling station.