Accessible Vote-by-Mail Information

General Information

Starting with the 2022 Election Cycle, the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Office is offering a new accessible Vote-by-Mail system called Enhanced Ballot. Enhanced Ballot allows voters with disabilities to interact with Vote-by-Mail ballots using screen reader technology, such as JAWS and NVDA.

Using Enhanced Ballot, you can mark the choices on your ballot without assistance from another person. After marking your ballot, you will need to print it out, seal it in the envelope sent to you by our office, and return it to our office by mail or secure ballot intake station (also known as a drop box). 

In addition to voting by mail, you also have the option to vote at any Early Voting site in the county, or at your Election Day polling place. We have supplied all Early Voting sites and polling places with accessible voting equipment. 

Read the sections below for information on how to sign up for Enhanced Ballot, use the system, and return your Vote-by-Mail ballot. 

How Do I Sign Up for Enhanced Ballot?

If you want to use Enhanced Ballot, you can sign up using any of these options:

Once we receive your request, we will create an account for you in the Enhanced Ballot system.

How Do I Access my Ballot?

Your ballot will be available on the Enhanced Ballot website starting about one month before Election Day. Once your ballot is available, we will send you an email with the login information.

We will also mail you a return envelope you must use to send your marked Vote-by-Mail ballot back to the Elections Office.

Once you are on the Enhanced Ballot webpage, select the “Access my Ballot” link. Upon activating the link, you will be asked to enter your information in four fields. 

  • First Name – Enter your first name as it appears on your voter registration record.
  • Last Name – Enter your last name as it appears on your voter registration record.
  • Date of Birth – Enter your date of birth in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY.
  • Access PIN – Enter your four-digit access pin. Election staff will email you this number once your ballot is ready.

Once you have entered all the information, select the “Sign In” button.

How Do I Mark my Ballot? 

Once you are signed into Enhanced Ballot, select the ballot for the upcoming election. Your official ballot will appear. Follow the instructions on the Enhanced Ballot site to navigate your ballot and select the candidates for whom you want to vote. Once you have finished selecting candidates, print your ballot. 

How Do I Prepare the Return Envelope? 

We will mail you an official return envelope and privacy folder. You must use the return envelope to send your ballot back to the Elections Office. 

After you have printed your ballot, wrap the privacy folder around your ballot. Then, insert the ballot and privacy folder into the return envelope. 

If you also received a physical Vote-by-Mail ballot, do not include it along with the ballot you print. If you enclose more than one ballot in an envelope, we cannot count either one.

You must now sign the voter certificate on the return envelope. The certificate is an oath. It reads:

“I do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a qualified and registered voter of Monroe County, Florida, and that I have not and will not vote more than one ballot in this election. I understand that if I commit or attempt to commit any fraud in connection with voting, I can be convicted of a felony of the third degree and fined up to $5,000, and/or imprisoned for up to 5 years. I also understand that failure to sign this certificate will invalidate my ballot.”

To help you sign within the signature box, we have placed a sticker directly to the left of the signature box. It is very important that you sign your envelope. If you do not sign it, we cannot count your ballot.

Once you have signed the envelope, close and seal it. You are now ready to return your ballot. 

What is the Deadline to Return my Ballot?

We must receive your ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day. If we do not receive it by then, we cannot count it. 

How Do I Return my Ballot?

You can return your ballot by mail or by dropping it off.

Mail

If you want to return your ballot by mail, simply place the signed and sealed envelope into a mailbox.  

The United States Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot at least five days in advance of Election Day to ensure that we will receive by Election Day.

You can also enclose your ballot and signed certificate envelope in a separate envelope and send by USPS Priority Mail, FedEx, UPS, or another carrier. If you do this, please send the package to our physical address at 530 Whitehead St #101, Key West, FL  33040.

Return by Drop-off

You can drop off your voted ballot at our office during business hours, or at secure ballot intake stations (also known as drop boxes) located at each Early Voting site during Early Voting hours. 

You cannot drop-off your Vote-by-Mail ballot at your Election Day polling place. However, the poll workers at your polling place can cancel your Vote-by-Mail ballot. You can then vote in-person.

What if There Is a Problem with my Signature?

If the signature on your Vote-By-Mail ballot envelope is missing or does not match the signature we have on file in the voter registration system, we will try to contact you to correct the problem. You will need to complete a Vote-By-Mail Ballot Cure Affidavit and send the form to our office along with a photocopy of your ID. The deadline to fix the signature issue is 5 p.m. on the Thursday after Election Day.

What if I Have More Questions or Need Assistance? 

If you have any question, please contact the Monroe County elections office at (305) 292-3416 or [email protected] 

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