Voter Guide

Hillsborough County

www.VoteHillsborough.org
 Voter Guide
Hillsborough County

Dear Voter,

Please take a few moments to read through this Table of Contents

Voter Guide. This guide contains information about Voter Registration........................................................4
voter registration, the voting process (including
Vote By Mail, Early Voting, and Election Day voting), Update Your Record ....................................................5
voting equipment, election dates, and frequently Voting by Mail and Voting Early ................................6
asked questions.
What to Expect at the Polls..........................................8
Also, please visit our website at www.VoteHillsborough.org Frequently Asked Questions........................................11
for information about current elections, polling place
Voter Rights and Responsibilities................................13
lists, sample ballots, becoming a poll worker, elected
officials, and voter statistics. Election Dates ..............................................................14
Supervisor of Elections Offices ...................................15
As always, feel free to contact me if you would like any
additional information or have any ideas you would like
to share about how I can better serve you.

I am enthusiastic about being your partner in democracy,

and am working to make sure that Hillsborough County
is the best place in America to vote!

Earl Lennard
Supervisor of Elections

2 3
 Voter registration
Deadlines
Remember:
• Voter registration deadline is 29 days prior to
any election.
• You must be registered with a political party in
order to vote in that party’s primary election.
• Any political party change must be made at least
29 days prior to a partisan primary election in order
to be valid in that election.
Requirements
You must:
• Be a United States citizen and a Florida resident.
• Be at least 18 years old, or you may preregister if
you are 16 years old.
• Have no current court judgment of mental incapacity
with respect to voting in Florida or any other state.
• Have no felony conviction, or have your rights
restored by law if ever convicted of a felony. Contact
the Office of Executive Clemency at (850) 488-2952
to confirm your rights are restored.
• Be registered only in this county and state, and
acknowledge that any prior registration will be
disclosed and cancelled.
Locations
• Supervisor of Elections offices (see page 15)
• Driver license offices
• Public assistance offices
• Public libraries
• Offices that serve people with disabilities
• Armed forces recruiting offices
• Centers for independent living
• Online at www.VoteHillsborough.org – you can
download an application
4 5
Update yoUr record
Update your voter registration record to avoid delays
at the polls on Election Day
• Update your address by calling the Supervisor of
Elections office at (813) 272-5850.
• Update your name, address, party or signature by
completing a voter registration application with
the changes and mailing or delivering it to any
Elections office.
• Download a voter registration application on-line at
www.VoteHillsborough.org, fill it out, and mail or
deliver to any Elections office.
Bring Proper Identification
Florida law requires voters to present current and valid
photo and signature identification when voting early or
at the polls. Without valid and current ID, a voter may
vote a provisional ballot, which will be evaluated by the
Canvassing Board for eligibility.
Acceptable valid and current forms of ID include:
• Florida Driver License • Military ID
• Florida ID Card issued • Student ID
by the Department of • Retirement Center ID
Highway Safety and
• Neighborhood
Motor Vehicles
Association ID
• U.S. Passport
• Public Assistance ID
• Debit or Credit Card
Florida’s Primary Elections
Florida has closed primaries. Only voters registered with
a political party may vote in that party’s primary election.
All registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, may
vote on issues and nonpartisan races. If all candidates in a
race have the same party affiliation and the winner of the
primary election will have no opposition in the general
election, all eligible voters, regardless of party affiliation,
may vote in the primary election for that race. This is
known as a universal primary.
 Voting By Mail and Voting early
Requesting a Mail Ballot
• Any registered voter may vote by mail.
• Florida law requires that ALL accepted mail ballots
be included in the official final election results.
• A request for mail ballots is good through up to two
federal general election cycles, and may be cancelled
at any time.
• The deadline to request a ballot to be mailed to you
is 5 p.m. on the 6th day prior to an election.
• To request a mail ballot,
call (813) 612-4180, fax (813) 612-4199,
send an email to absentee@hcsoe.org
or visit www.VoteHillsborough.org
Requesting your mail ballot:
The voter must provide:
• Voter’s name and home address
• Voter’s date of birth
• Voter’s mailing address, if different from
home/resident address
Requesting mail ballots for others:
An immediate family member or guardian may request a
ballot for you; they must provide:
• Voter’s information (as listed above)
• Requester’s relationship to the voter
• Requester’s name and address
• Requester’s driver’s license number (if available)
• Requester’s signature (if a written request)
Picking up Someone Else’s Ballot
By signed letter, a voter may designate another person
to pick up his/her mail ballot no sooner than the 5th day
prior to an election. The designee must provide a
picture ID and complete an affidavit.
6 7
Voting Your Mail Ballot
Use a black ink pen to completely
fill in the oval next to each
selection on your ballot. Correct
Returning Your Voted Mail Ballot
To return your voted mail ballot:
1. Insert it into the secrecy envelope/sleeve.
2. Insert the secrecy envelope/sleeve into the
return envelope.
3. Seal the return envelope.
4. Sign and date the back of the return envelope.
5. Put the required postage on the return envelope.
6. Mail your ballot (we must receive your ballot by
7 p.m. on Election Day, so be sure to mail it early
enough so it will be delivered by Election Day), or
deliver your ballot to an Elections Office by 7 p.m.
on Election Day. You may also drop off your ballot
at any Early Voting site.
A voted ballot cannot be accepted at a polling place
on Election Day. If you have received a Vote By Mail
ballot and wish to vote at your precinct on Election Day
or at any Early Voting location, please bring your
Vote By Mail ballot with you. A poll worker will
“cancel” that ballot so you can vote at the polling place.
Early Voting
Early voting begins 15 days prior to any federal, state
or county election, and ends the Saturday prior to the
election; municipalities may or may not provide early
voting for their election.
You can vote at any Early Voting site (sites and times
are announced well before each election and are on our
website at www.VoteHillsborough.org).
Voting procedures are the same as on Election Day.
 What to expect at the polls
Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day
• You are required to vote in the precinct where you
live. Your voter information card shows your
precinct number, or you can use the Precinct Finder
feature online at www.VoteHillsborough.org
• Be sure to bring a photo and signature ID to the polls
(see page 5 for a list of acceptable forms of ID).
• Make sure your voter registration information is
updated to avoid delays at the polls (see page 5 for
information about updating your voter record).
When you arrive at the polls:
1. Show your valid and current photo and signature ID.
2. Sign the precinct register, or an electronic
signature pad.
3. Receive your paper ballot and proceed to a
privacy booth.
4. Using the black pen provided,
completely fill in the oval
next to each of your selections. Correct
5. Review your ballot.
6. If you wish to make changes, request another ballot.
8 9
7. If you are satisfied with your selections:
a. Take your ballot to the optical scanner in the
secrecy folder provided.
b. Insert your ballot into the optical scan feeder.
c. If your ballot is accepted, the scanner will
record your votes and place your ballot into the
locked ballot box.
d. The scanner will alert you if your ballot appears
blank or contains one or more overvotes. You
will then be given the option to either accept the
ballot as is, or return it to you for corrections.
The scanner will not alert voters to undervotes.
e. If you have any questions, ask a poll worker
before you insert the ballot in the scanner. Once
a ballot has been accepted, it cannot be retrieved.
Error message screen
8. If you need assistance at any time during the voting
process, ask a poll worker for assistance. They are
trained to guide you through the process and answer
your questions.

Voters with Disabilities
An ADA accessible ballot-marking machine, the
AutoMark, is available at each Early Voting and
Election Day polling place. The AutoMark allows
voters with disabilities the option of an audio function
with headset, a Braille keypad, a zoom-in large-print
feature, a sip-and-puff device, and a two-switch
paddle device.
10
FreqUently asked qUestions
What voting equipment does Hillsborough County use?
Voters are using the Premier Election Solutions optical
scan voting equipment (OSX) for Early Voting and
Election Day voting. The Premier Central Count Scanner
(PCS) is used to process Vote By Mail ballots. The
AutoMark Voter Assist Terminal ballot-marking device
is available for voters with special needs or disabilities.
What happens if I make a mistake on my ballot?
Return the ballot to a poll worker and ask for another one.
You can have up to three ballots (including the original).
You will be asked to place the ballot in a “spoiled ballot”
envelope, seal the envelope, and hand it to a poll worker.
(The envelope will never be opened unless required by a court.)
What happens if I make a mistake on the third ballot
I am allowed?
State law does not allow you to be given a fourth ballot.
Your first two spoiled ballots will be in sealed envelopes,
so you will need to use your third ballot.
Does it matter how I insert my ballot into the scanner?
No. You can place either end of the ballot into the
scanner, with either side up.
How do I know that my vote is being counted?
The scanner screen message indicates that your votes are
being recorded and your ballot was accepted.
What happens if I do not vote in ANY races?
The scanner will alert you if it does not detect any votes on
the ballot. A poll worker will assist you in this instance.
What happens if I do not vote in one or more races?
The optical scanner will accept your ballot and count all
the races you have voted.
If I receive a Vote By Mail ballot and decide to
vote at the polling place, can I do this?
Yes. The simplest way to do this is to bring your Vote By
Mail ballot to your polling place and ask a poll worker to
cancel the ballot so you can vote at the polling place.
11
 FreqUently asked qUestions
What happens if I vote for too many candidates?
The optical scanner will alert you if you select too many
candidates in a race. This is called an overvote. A poll
worker can assist you in this instance.
How can I correct a ballot with one or more overvotes?
An overvoted ballot cannot be corrected. A poll worker
will give you a “spoiled ballot” envelope for your first
ballot and then give you a new ballot.
Can I write in a candidate?
Only races in which there is a qualified write-in
candidate will provide a space to write in a candidate’s
name and fill in the oval, and only votes for qualified
write-in candidates will be counted.
Can I change my ballot once it has been read and
accepted by the optical scanner?
No. Once a ballot has been accepted, it cannot be retrieved.
Is there a paper trail?
Yes. Your paper ballot secured in the ballot box is the
official record of your votes and is available for recounts
or audits.
How long are paper ballots kept?
Any ballots with federal races or issues must be
retained for 22 months. All other ballots must be kept
for 12 months.
In the event of scanner failure, what happens to
my ballot?
The voter has the option to wait until a replacement
scanner arrives or place the ballot in the auxiliary
portion of the ballot box. Ballots in the auxiliary box
will be processed through the scanner after the
polls close.
In the event of a power outage, what happens to
my ballot?
The internal backup battery allows the scanner to
continue operating.
12
Voter rights and responsiBilities
Each registered voter in Florida has the right to:
• Vote and have his or her vote accurately counted.
• Cast a vote if he or she is in line at the official
closing of the polls.
• Ask for and receive assistance in voting.
• Receive up to two replacement ballots if he or she
makes a mistake prior to the ballot being cast.
• An explanation if his or her registration or identity
is in question.
• If his or her registration or identity is in question,
cast a provisional ballot.
• Written instructions to use when voting and, upon
request, oral instructions in voting from elections officers.
• Vote free from coercion or intimidation by elections
officers or any other person.
• Vote on a voting system that is in working condition
and that will allow votes to be accurately cast.
Each registered voter in Florida should:
• Familiarize himself or herself with the candidates
and issues.
• Maintain with the office of the Supervisor of
Elections a current address.
• Know the location of his or her polling place and its
hours of operation.
• Bring proper identification to the polling station.
• Familiarize himself or herself with the operation of
the voting equipment in his or her precinct.
• Treat precinct workers with courtesy.
• Respect the privacy of other voters.
• Report any problems or violations of election laws to
the Supervisor of Elections.
• Ask questions, if needed.
• Make sure that his or her completed ballot is correct
before leaving the polling station.
Failure to perform any of these responsibilities does not
prohibit a voter from voting.
13
 2010-2012 election dates

2010 Elections Last Day to Early Election Day

Register Voting
Primary July 26, August 9, August 24,
Election 2010 2010 – 2010
August 21,
2010
General October 4, October 18, November 2,
Election 2010 2010 – 2010
October 30,
2010
Temple Terrace November 1, ** November 30,
Run-off Election* 2010 2010
2011 Elections Last Day to Early Election Day Visit www.VoteHillsborough.org
Register Voting
for information on:
Tampa Municipal January 31, February 14, March 1, 2011
Election 2011 2011 – Current elections
February 26, Polling place lists
2011
Sample ballots
Tampa Run-off February 21, March 14, March 22, 2011 Becoming a poll worker
Election* 2011 2011 –
March 19, Elected officials
2011 Voter statistics
Plant City March 7, ** April 5, 2011 Adopt A Precinct
Election* 2011
Plant City April 4, ** May 3, 2011
Run-off Election* 2011
Supervisor of Elections Offices
2012 Elections Last Day to Early Election Day
Register Voting Fred B. Karl County Center
601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 16th Floor
Presidential January 2, January 16, January 31,
Preference 2012 2012 – 2012 Tampa, Florida 33602
Primary Election January 28, Phone: (813) 272-5850
2012
Fax: (813) 272-7043
Plant City March 5, ** April 3, 2012
Election* 2012 Robert L. Gilder Elections Service Center
Plant City April 2, ** May 1, 2012 2514 N. Falkenburg Rd.
Run-off Election* 2012 Tampa, Florida 33619
Primary Election July 30, August 13, August 28, Phone: (813) 744-5900
2012 2012 – 2012
August 25, Fax: (813) 744-5843
2012

General Election October 8, October 22, November 6,

2012 2012 – 2012
November 3,
2012
Temple Terrace November 5, ** December 4,
Run-off Election* 2012 2012 Please note: Florida has a very broad public records law. Written communications to or from
the Supervisor of Elections regarding business constitute public records and are available to the
* if necessary public and media upon request unless the information is subject to a specific statutory exemption.
** Early Voting Dates not established as of this printing Therefore, your e-mail address and message may be subject to public disclosure.

14 15
www.VoteHillsborough.org