Supervisor of Elections Brevard County, Florida

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Absentee Ballots for Overseas Voters

Last updated 12/13/07

Overseas voters are defined by Section 97.021, Florida Statutes, as members of the uniformed services, members of the Merchant Marine of the United States, or other citizens of the United States who are permanent residents of the state and are temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia, who are qualified and registered to vote as provided by law. Overseas voters are allowed by Florida Statutes to receive and send absentee ballots either by mail or in electronic format. This means that a ballot may to sent from the elections office by mail, fax or e-mail, and may be returned by the voter by mail or fax. Ballots may not be returned by e-mail.

NOTE: A request that a ballot be faxed to you is valid for only one election. You may request faxing of ballots for a subsequent election after the first election has passed. You may request that ballots be sent by mail or e-mail for any or all elections within a calendar year.

An overseas voter making a request for absentee ballots must include in their request their name, their Brevard County residence address, their date of birth, their overseas address (or APO or FPO address) if they wish their ballot mailed, their fax number if they wish their ballots faxed and their e-mail address if they wish their ballots e-mailed. Upon verification of their eligibility, and upon the availability of the ballots, the elections office will transmit the appropriate ballot to the voter.

All requests for an absentee ballot to be mailed to a voter must be received by the Elections Office no later than 5 PM on the sixth day before the election. All absentee ballots must be mailed by the Elections Office no later than the fourth day before the election.

The absentee ballot instructions for overseas voters are as follows:

1. VERY IMPORTANT. In order to ensure that your absentee ballot will be counted, it should be completed and returned as soon as possible so that it can reach the supervisor of elections of the county in which you are registered no later than 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day of the election.

2. Mark your ballot in secret as instructed on the ballot. You must mark your own ballot unless you are unable to do so because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.

3. Mark only the number of candidate or issue choices for a race as indicated on the ballot. If you are allowed to “Vote for One” candidate and you vote for more than one candidate, your vote in that race will not be counted.

4. In order for your ballot to be counted, you must also complete the Voter’s Certificate, which must include your signature and the date you signed the Voter’s Certificate. Failure to include a signature or a date means your ballot may not be counted.

5. You may return your voted absentee ballot either by facsimile or by mail. Voted ballots returned by regular electronic mail will not be counted.

6. To fax your voted absentee ballot and the Voter’s Certificate, fax the ballot and certificate to the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Office at 321-633-2130 or to a fax number provided by the Federal Voting Assistance Program of the Department of Defense. If you fax your ballot and certificate to a number provided by the Federal Voting Assistance Program, make sure there is sufficient time for the Federal Voting Assistance Program to transmit it to the supervisor of elections so that it is received by 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day of the election. If you fax your voted ballot, you will be voluntarily waiving your right to a secret ballot.

7. To mail your voted absentee ballot and Voter’s Certificate to the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Office:
   1. Place your marked ballot in a secrecy envelope. If the ballot was mailed to you by the supervisor of elections, use the secrecy envelope sent to you. If your ballot was faxed to you or sent by electronic mail, place your marked ballot in an unmarked envelope and seal the envelope.

   2. Insert the secrecy envelope inside a separate mailing envelope. If the ballot was mailed to you, use the mailing envelope provided and fill out the Voter’s Certificate on the back. If the ballot was faxed to you or sent by electronic mail, place the sealed secrecy envelope and the completed Voter’s Certificate in another envelope for mailing. Do not seal the Voter’s Certificate in the secrecy envelope with the ballot. Clearly mark the mailing envelope “Absentee Ballot Enclosed”.

   3. Mail the ballot to the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Office, Post Office Box 410819, Melbourne, FL 32941-0819 USA. Be sure there is sufficient postage.

8. FELONY NOTICE. It is a felony under Florida law to accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your vote for a candidate. It is also a felony under Florida law to vote in an election using a false identity or false address, or under any other circumstances making your ballot false or fraudulent.