As of this writing, the Broward Supervisor of Elections (SOE) reports the number of active registered voters in Broward county is 1,238,452. Of those, the Office has received nearly 500,000 vote-by-mail requests, broken down as follows:
Democrat: 281,334
Republican: 87,493
NPA/Other: 116,849
Vote-by-Mail Deadlines for Requesting or Sending Ballots
Florida state law requires that ballots be sent during specified timeframes for any vote-by-mail requests on record at that time.
While you can request a vote-by-mail ballot up until late October, the Supervisor of Elections is required to send ballots to those who have requested them no later than the timeframes outlined below:
| Voter | General Election Timeframe | 2020 General Election Deadline |
| Absent stateside and overseas uniformed service member and overseas civilian voters (also known as UOCAVA voters) | The SOE must mail requested ballots no later than 45 days prior to the election | September 19 |
| Domestic Voters | The SOE must mail requested ballots during a 7-day window between 40 and 33 days prior to the election | September 24 – October 1 |
| All Registered Voters: Vote-by-Mail requests | Registered voters must request a vote-by-mail ballot by the date shown here | October 24 |
Remember! According to the Broward SOE, “Voted Vote By Mail ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Election’s office no later than 7:00 PM on Election Day. A VOTED BALLOT CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AT A POLLING PLACE [on Election Day]….If you requested a Vote By Mail ballot and later decide to VOTE AT THE POLLS, take your Vote By Mail ballot with you to be cancelled at your polling place.” It’s important to get your vote by mail ballot in as soon as possible.
Voting by Mail? You Can Drop Off Your Ballot at a Secure Drop-Off Box
The Broward SOE has announced 24 separate secure Vote-By-Mail (VBM) ballot drop-off locations throughout the county; two of these are secure 24/7 drop boxes at the Broward SOE offices. These two are available through 7:00 pm on November 3. The other 22 drop-off locations are available from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm from October 19 through November 1 (which is the maximum allowable by law).
The list of drop-off locations is available here; in Tamarac, the drop-off location is at the Tamarac Branch Library at 8701 West Commercial Boulevard.
Additional information about voting and voter registration is available on the Broward Supervisor of Elections website, https://www.browardsoe.org/.
Registering to Vote
Registering online to vote is easy! Remember, the deadline to register to vote is 29 days prior to an election. For this November’s general election, the deadline to register to vote is October 5.
Register at the State of Florida Site: registertovoteflorida.gov. You can also update your voter registration on the site.
You will need:
- Your Florida driver license (Florida DL) or Florida identification card (Florida ID card) issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles.
- The issued date of your Florida DL or Florida ID card; and
- The last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN4).
Note: If you do not have any of the information above, you may still use the online system to prefill a voter registration application form. However, you will have to print, sign, and then mail or deliver your completed voter registration application to your county Supervisor of Elections’ office.
Is Your High Schooler Registered to Vote?
The Broward SOE is participating in the 2020 Fall High School Voter Registration Drive. This is a collaborative effort amount the Broward County SOE and Broward Schools; it is an annual competition to register all eligible students. Each high school has its own official registration portal. You can find your high school here: https://www.browardsoe.org/Voter-Education-Outreach/High-School-Voter-Registration-Drive.
Become a (Paid) Poll Worker
You can do your part (and get paid!) by applying to work the polls during the election. The Broward SOE reminds everyone that “Election Day Workers are the front-line representation of the Supervisor of Elections office. Often, a voter may never see an SOE staff member, but will see Election Day Workers at their polling location Election Day…. Broward County Election Day Workers are highly trained individuals who are active voters, serving their community and local government proudly. Election Day Workers interact well with the public and work well in stressful situations.
Poll Worker Requirements
To qualify to become a Broward County Election Day Worker, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must be a registered voter in Broward County.
- You must fill out an application (found on the SOE site)
- You must attend a minimum of 4 hours of training.
What Does it Pay?
Depending on the position you are assigned, poll workers make a stipend of between $180 and $250 for Election Day.
To learn more, visit https://www.browardsoe.org/Poll-Worker-Information/What-is-a-Poll-Worker or call 954-459-9911
