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Florida > The Florida Election Code > Voting Methods And Procedure

§ 101.20 Publication of ballot form; sample ballots.

Statute

(1) Two sample ballots shall be furnished to each polling place by the officer whose duty it is to provide official ballots. The sample ballots shall be in the form of the official ballot as it will appear at that polling place on election day. Sample ballots shall be open to inspection by all electors in any election, and a sufficient number of reduced-size ballots may be furnished to election officials so that one may be given to any elector desiring same.

(2)(a) Upon completion of the list of qualified candidates, a sample ballot shall be published by the supervisor in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, before the day of election.
(b) In lieu of the publication required under paragraph (a), a supervisor may send a sample ballot to each registered elector by e-mail at least 7 days before an election if an e-mail address has been provided and the elector has opted to receive a sample ballot by electronic delivery. If an e-mail address has not been provided, or if the elector has not opted for electronic delivery, a sample ballot may be mailed to each registered elector or to each household in which there is a registered elector at least 7 days before an election.

History:

s. 5, ch. 26870, 1951; s. 8, ch. 57-166; s. 9, ch. 65-380; s. 1, ch. 75-174; s. 16, ch. 77-175; s. 2, ch. 2013-192; s. 12, ch. 2019-162, eff. July 1, 2019.

Definition [Polling Place]

The building which contains the polling room where ballots are cast. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(27).

Definition [Newspaper of General Circulation]

A newspaper printed in the language most commonly spoken in the area within which it circulates and which is readily available for purchase by all inhabitants in the area of circulation, but does not include a newspaper intended primarily for members of a particular professional or occupational group, a newspaper the primary function of which is to carry legal notices, or a newspaper that is given away primarily to distribute advertising. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(20).

Definition [Ballot]

As used in the Electronic Voting Systems Act, ballot means the card, tape, or other vehicle upon which the elector’s choices are recorded. Fla. Stat. § 101.5603(2).

Definition [Elector]

“Elector” is synonymous with the word “voter” or “qualified elector or voter,” except where the word is used to describe presidential electors. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(15).

Definition [Election]

Any primary election, special primary election, special election, general election, or presidential preference primary election. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(12).

Definition [Candidate]

Any person to whom any one or more of the following applies:

(a) Any person who seeks to qualify for nomination or election by means of the petitioning process.
(b) Any person who seeks to qualify for election as a write-in candidate.
(c) Any person who receives contributions or makes expenditures, or gives his or her consent for any other person to receive contributions or make expenditures, with a view to bringing about his or her nomination or election to, or retention in, public office.
(d) Any person who appoints a treasurer and designates a primary depository.
(e) Any person who files qualification papers and subscribes to a candidate’s oath as required by law.
This definition does not include any candidate for a political party executive committee. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(6).