People will be heading to the polls soon for early voting for the 2024 general elections. Many will wait to cast their ballot on Election Day on Nov. 5.
Whether it’s your first time voting or it’s been a while since you’ve entered a polling place, here’s a rundown of what you can and can’t do as you cast your ballot in South Florida:
Can you listen to music while voting?
You can groove to your favorite tunes via headphones or earbuds while voting, but the music can’t be loud enough to distract other voters, according to Miami-Dade’s Supervisor of Elections office.
MORE: Want to vote before Election Day in South Florida? Here’s where — and tips to follow
Can you take a ballot selfie?
Voters are allowed to take a picture of their own ballot under Florida law. That includes at the voting booth, or elsewhere if you requested a vote-by-mail ballot.
What about ballot selfies?
Yes, that’s allowed too — but there are rules.
First, only you can be in the photo with your ballot.
If voting in person, the photo can be taken only at the voting booth , which means you can’t take the shot in front of the ballot-counting machines. You also can’t take your photo or one of anyone else inside the polling room, even if it’s your mom, significant other or best friend.
While the point of a selfie is usually to post it on social media, it’s illegal to post a picture of your ballot online, according to the Florida Department of State’s Division of Elections.
Florida law states no one is allowed to show others their personal ballot. Those who are caught doing that are “guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree,” according to Florida Statutes section 104.20.
Here’s an alternative: Take a photo with the classic (and totally legal) “I Voted” sticker. You can post that on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and anywhere else you want.
Can you wear political clothing to the polls?
You can wear political clothing, including shirts, buttons and hats inside the precinct if you’re planning to cast a ballot, according to the Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe Supervisor of Elections offices.
But you can’t distribute political or campaign material like fliers or try to sell your handmade election memorabilia. You also can’t bring in signs or posters. All of that is considered voter solicitation under Florida law and is required to stay outside of the polling place and from the 150-foot zone surrounding the polling place.
Can you wear a mask? Or vote in a Halloween costume?
It’s spooky season, and with early voting sites open around Halloween, don’t be surprised if you see witches and superheroes voting at the polls alongside you. Miami-Dade’s Supervisor of Elections office told the Miami Herald it’s OK to vote in costume, as long as you’re not distracting or disrupting other voters.
While it’s hard to gauge what would be considered distracting or disrupting, anything like a dragon tail that might hit or slow someone down, or take up a lot of space (like more than one voting booth) will likely be a no-no.
Medical masks people wear to help reduce COVID spread are OK, and so are costume masks, according to the Miami-Dade elections office. However, keep in mind that if you show up dressed like Spider-Man or with another mask that covers your entire face, you’ll have to take it off so staff can look at your photo ID to verify it’s really you. For people who like to dress up like Donald Trump, Kamala Harris and other political figures, this rule goes for political costume masks, too.
And remember, if in doubt, don’t wear it. This isn’t Florida Supercon .
Have a sample ballot filled out on a phone? If you’re at a voting booth, can you look at it?
Voters can bring a sample ballot or a list with them to the polls to help them remember how they planned to vote, whether it’s printed or on their phone. But you can’t distribute your list of recommendations to anyone else at the voting booths. Voter solicitation is illegal inside the polling place.
Can voters bring service and emotional support animals to the polls?
Voters can bring in service dogs, service miniature horses and emotional support animals to the voting booth, according to Miami-Dade’s Supervisor of Elections office.
You’re at the polls and forgot a photo ID. Can you still vote?
Registered voters who forget their wallet and don’t have a photo ID with signature can still vote by using a provisional ballot.
If the only reason why you submitted a provisional ballot is because you didn’t have the proper photo and signature ID, you don’t have to do anything else to make your vote count, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
The local canvassing board will compare your signature with the one in your voter registration record to see if your signatures match. If there’s a problem with your provisional ballot, the Supervisor of Elections’ office will attempt to contact you.
TIP: If you’re submitting a provisional ballot, the polling site should give you a written notice of rights. Keep that document because it has instructions you’ll need to use later to check if your ballot was counted, and if not, why. Miami-Dade and Broward ’s elections websites also have provisional ballot trackers you can use to check on a provisional ballot’s status.
Can you bring your own pen? Clean the voting booth?
You can wipe the voting booth clean before using it. And while pens are provided, you can bring your own. The type of ink color you can use may vary by county so check with your Supervisor of Elections office before heading to the polls.
If voting in Miami-Dade, for example, make sure to use a pen with blue or black ink.
Can you talk on the phone while voting?
Talking on the phone is a no-no during voting. So make sure to put your phone on silent or vibrate or turn it off. If you do get a call, or try to make one, a poll worker will likely ask you to end it.
You messed up your ballot or had an emergency in the middle of voting. Can you get a new one?
If you’re in the middle of voting and realized that you left your cheat sheet in the car, there’s a solution. You can turn in your half-done ballot and a poll worker will “spoil” it, which basically means it’s destroyed.
You can then ask for a new ballot. If you have a family emergency, you can ask for your ballot to be spoiled, leave and come back later to vote. Keep in mind you’ll likely have to wait in line again. There’s also a three-spoil limit in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.
Can you help someone fill out their ballot?
In Florida, no one is allowed to show others their ballot. There’s an exception for people who require assistance to vote because of a disability. If you need assistance to vote, you can ask anyone for help except “your employer or an agency of your employer or an officer or agency of your union,” according to Florida’s Division of Elections.
And unless it’s already noted in your voter registration, you’ll have to fill out a form before voting. The person who plans on helping you will also have to fill out a form, unless they are election staff.
Some of this information comes from Miami Herald archives in 2022.
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