With Election Day approaching, election officials are reminding voters to understand the rules before casting their ballots, particularly when it comes to voting by mail, signature requirements and where to vote.

Some common misconceptions could cause delays or prevent a ballot from being counted. In Florida, voters must request Vote-by-Mail ballots, sign their own ballot envelopes and make sure their ballots arrive by the required deadline.

Here are five voting myths to know before Election Day. And you can find 34 more in our article HERE.

Myth No. 1: Vote-by-Mail ballots are automatically sent to registered voters

Fact: Voters must request a Vote-by-Mail ballot.

Florida does not automatically send Vote-by-Mail ballots to every registered voter. Voters must submit a request, and requests expire after each general election.

That means voters who requested a Vote-by-Mail ballot for the 2024 election must renew their requests for 2026 if they want to vote by mail.

Voters should check with their county Supervisor of Elections to confirm their request status and learn how to submit a new one.

Myth No. 2: Voters do not need to update their signatures

Fact: An outdated signature can delay the processing of a ballot.

Election officials compare the signature on a returned Vote-by-Mail ballot envelope with the signature in the voter’s registration record.

Signatures can change over time, and some voters may have an older signature on file from when they first registered or updated their information through a driver’s license transaction.

If the signatures do not match, election officials may need to contact the voter to complete a signature cure process. That can delay the ballot’s processing.

Voters should check their registration information and update their signatures when necessary.

Myth No. 3: A Power of Attorney can sign a Vote-by-Mail ballot envelope

Fact: Voters must sign their own ballot envelopes.

Florida law requires voters to sign their own Vote-by-Mail ballot envelopes. A Power of Attorney cannot sign the envelope on someone else’s behalf.

A missing or mismatched signature can trigger additional verification steps and delay processing. Voters should make sure they sign the envelope themselves and follow the instructions included with their ballots.

Myth No. 4: Vote-by-Mail ballots will be forwarded if voters are out of town

Fact: Voters should confirm their ballot’s mailing address before requesting it.

Vote-by-Mail ballots cannot be forwarded through the U.S. Postal Service like ordinary mail.

Voters who expect to be away from home should verify the address on file with their county Supervisor of Elections and make arrangements before requesting a ballot.

Florida voters may request that ballots be sent to an eligible temporary address, but additional paperwork may be required if the address is not already listed in the state’s voter registration system.

Voters should contact their county elections office for instructions on requesting a ballot at a different address.

Myth No. 5: A Vote-by-Mail ballot only needs to be postmarked by Election Day

Fact: Most Florida Vote-by-Mail ballots must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

A postmark showing that a ballot was mailed by Election Day is generally not enough. The ballot must be received by the Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

Certain military and overseas voters covered by federal law have additional time under specific circumstances.

Voters who plan to vote by mail should return their ballots as early as possible and track their status through their county elections office.

Myth No. 6: You Must Have A Florida Driver’s License to vote

FACT: Florida accepts several forms of identification when voting in person — not just a driver’s license. Options include a U.S. passport, debit or credit card, student ID, military ID and more.

Your ID must include a photo and signature. If your photo ID is missing a signature, you’ll need another acceptable ID that has one.

DON’T HAVE AN ACCEPTABLE ID? You can still cast a provisional ballot. Election officials will determine whether it can be counted based on eligibility and verification requirements

Where can Orange County voters cast their ballots?

Orange County has 27 early voting locations, and voters can cast their ballots at any designated early voting site during the early voting period.

Election Day works differently: voters generally must go to their assigned precinct.

Voters should confirm their polling location and check the county’s official election website for current early voting hours, locations and Election Day information.

What identification do voters need?

Florida voters must present an acceptable photo ID that includes a signature when voting in person.

Accepted identification includes:

• Florida driver’s license or state identification card
• U.S. passport
• Debit or credit card
• Military identification
• Student identification
• Retirement center identification
• Neighborhood association identification
• Public assistance identification
• Veteran health identification card issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Florida license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm
• Government employee identification issued by a federal, state, county or municipal agency

If a photo ID does not include a signature, voters must provide another acceptable ID that does.

Voters who do not bring proper identification can still cast a provisional ballot. Election officials will determine whether it can be counted under the applicable eligibility and verification requirements.

How are ballots checked and counted?

Election officials use established procedures to test voting equipment, process ballots and verify election results.

Logic and accuracy testing is used to check voting equipment before an election. Canvassing boards oversee key parts of the election process, including reviewing certain ballots and determining whether results can be certified.

Florida law also establishes procedures for recounts when results are sufficiently close. Generally, a machine recount is triggered when the margin is 0.5 percentage points or less. A manual recount may be required when the margin is 0.25 percentage points or less, subject to the applicable statutory rules.

Voters who have questions about voting procedures, ballot status or polling locations should contact their county Supervisor of Elections before Election Day.