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I moved here from another county
in Florida. Can I transfer my voter registration from that
county to Hamilton County?
Yes.
Just fill out and sign a voter registration application with
your new information and mail to the Supervisor of Elections
Office. |
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Does a person have to live in
the State of Florida for a certain period of time before he
can register to vote? No,
there is no length of residency requirement in the State of
Florida. However, you must be registered at least 29 days
before you can vote in an election. The date your voter
registration application is postmarked or hand delivered to
the elections office or other official registration site
will be your registration date. |
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How will I know if my
application was processed?
If your application is complete and
you are qualified as a voter, a registration identification
card will be mailed to you. If your application was
incomplete, you will be notified by the elections office to
provide the missing information. Your application is not
processed until the date that the missing information is
received. |
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Do I have to declare a party
when I register to vote?
No, you can register in any party you choose or register
with no party affiliation. An applicant who does not
designate a political party affiliation on their application
will be registered without party affiliation. |
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If I register with no party
affiliation, can I choose a Democrat or Republican ballot in
the primary election? No,
Florida is a closed primary state. Only voters who are
registered members of the two major political parties
(Republicans/Democrats) may vote for their respective
parties' candidates in a primary election.
However, a recent change in the Florida Constitution
provides that 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.
It is also important to remember that judicial and school
board offices are nonpartisan and are included in primary
elections, as well as local referendum questions. All
registered voters, including those without party affiliation
and minor political party voters are entitled to vote on all
of these offices and questions.
At general elections, all voters receive the same ballot and
may vote for any candidate or question on their ballot. |
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How do I make a change of
address in my voter registration record?
A recent change in law now allows
the voter to call the elections office with change of
address information within Hamilton County. You may also write to the elections
office or complete the information on the back of your voter
identification card with your change of residence or mailing
address, name change or choice of party affiliation change
and mail it to the Supervisor of Elections.
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What is a provisional ballot?
At all elections, a voter
claiming to be properly registered in the county and
eligible to vote at the precinct in the election, but whose
eligibility cannot be determined, shall be entitled to vote
a provisional ballot. |
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May I receive assistance in
voting if necessary? Yes,
upon request, a need for assistance at the polls may be
designated on an elector's registration record. The elector
can designate someone of his or her choice, other than an
employer or an officer or agent of the person's union.
Election officials may also provide assistance. |
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I work next door to a polling
place. Can I vote there or do I have to vote at the precinct
near my home? Florida law
states that you must vote in the precinct in which you live. |
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What does an over-vote mean?
An over-vote means that
the voter marks or designates more names than there are
persons to be elected to an office or designates more than
one answer to a ballot question. In the case of an
over-vote, the tabulator would record no vote for the
office or question. |
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What does an under-vote mean?
An under-vote means that
the voter does not properly designate any choice for an
office or ballot question and the tabulator records no
vote for the office or question. |
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How far away from the polling
place must candidates and campaign workers be on election
day?
One hundred (100) feet from
the entrance of the polling room. |
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What hours are the polls open on
election day? 7:00 am to
7:00 pm |
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How are candidates listed on the
ballot? In a primary
election, candidates are listed alphabetically (except for
circuit court judges who are determined by lot conducted by
the State Director of the Division of Elections.)
In a general election, the names of the candidates of the
party that received the highest number of votes for Governor
in the last election shall be placed first under the heading
for each office; then, the names of the candidates of the
party that received the second highest vote for Governor
shall be second. Minor political party candidates and
candidates with no party affiliation shall have their names
appear on the general election ballot following the names of
recognized political parties, in the same order as they were
certified. - Florida Statutes 101.151(3)(a) |
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How do I get a sample ballot for
the primary or general election?
Sample ballots will be mailed to
each household with registered voters, approximately two
weeks before each election. They will also be published in
the local newspaper the week prior to each election. Sample
ballots will also be posted on our web site. |
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Can I take my sample ballot into
the polling room with me?
Yes, you may take the sample ballot
into the voting booth with you. Be sure that you take it
with you when you leave the polling room. |
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How much money can I donate to a
candidate? Up to $500 per
election. This amount includes in-kind contributions. |
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What is an in-kind contribution?
An in-kind contribution
is anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the
results of an election. Example - giving lumber to a
candidate to build signs for his or her campaign or
providing office space at no charge or a lesser charge. |
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Can a candidate accept a cash
contribution? A candidate
may not accept contributions in cash or by means of a
cashier's check in excess of $100. |
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Are candidates' contributions
and expenditures public record?
Yes. |
