Vote-by-Mail
Any eligible Orange County voter may choose to Vote-by-Mail in Florida elections. This convenient option allows you to receive your ballot at home, review it at your own pace, and return it securely. Below you will find information on how to request a Vote-by-Mail ballot, important deadlines, and the ways you can return your completed ballot.
Military and overseas voters, also known as UOCAVA voters, have additional options for receiving and returning their ballots. For more details, please visit our Military & Overseas Voters page.
Request Your Vote-by-Mail Ballot Online
The easiest way to request your ballot is by using our online Vote-by-Mail request service. It’s quick and secure, and you can use it to check your mailing address, update your contact information, and choose which elections you want a Vote-by-Mail ballot for.
Other Ways to Request Your Vote-by-Mail Ballot
If you prefer not to use the online service, you can request your Vote-by-Mail ballot in any of the following ways:
By phone
Call us at 407-836-8683
By mail, email, or fax
- Download the Vote-by-Mail Request Form (English, PDF)
- Download the Vote-by-Mail Request Form (Spanish, PDF)
- Mail the completed form to P.O. Box 562001, Orlando, FL 32856-2001
- Email the completed form to our office
- Fax the completed form to 407-254-6577
Request Ballot Delivery to a Temporary Address
If you need your ballot mailed to a temporary address that is not on your record, you must submit your request in writing with your signature. Download the form below and return it by mail, fax, or as an email attachment through our Contact Us page.
Ballot Request Deadline
The deadline to request that a Vote-by-Mail ballot be mailed to you is 5 p.m. on the 12th day before Election Day. After that deadline passes, you may still pick up a Vote-by-Mail ballotin person at our office through Election Day.
2026 Ballot Request Deadlines
- Primary Election: August 6, 2026
- General Election: October 22, 2026
Track the Status of Your Ballot
You can track your Vote-by-Mail ballot every step of the way using BallotTrax, our ballot notification system. BallotTrax lets you receive email or text updates when your ballot is mailed to you, when our office receives it, and when it is counted.
Visit our Track Your Mail Ballot page to learn more.
You Must Renew Your Vote-by-Mail Request Every Two Years
Vote-by-mail requests expire after each federal general election cycle. Therefore, all vote-by-mail requests expired on Dec. 31, 2024. To continue to receive vote-by-mail ballots for 2025 and 2026 elections, you must submit a new vote-by-mail request each general election cycle.
When Ballots Are Mailed
Vote-by-Mail ballots for local voters are mailed 40 to 33 days before an election. Ballots for military and overseas voters are mailed at least 45 days before an election. After the first mailing, ballots are mailed daily for all new requests.
Designee Vote-by-Mail Pick-Up
After Vote-by-Mail ballots have been mailed and up to 7 p.m. on Election Day, you may designate someone in writing to pick up your ballot.
The designee must bring:
- A Vote-by-Mail Request Form completed by the voter
- A completed Affidavit to Pick-Up a Vote-By-Mail Ballot (DS-DE 162)
- A valid photo ID
A designee may pick up ballots for no more than two non-family members.
Emergency Pick-Up During Early Voting or on Election Day
If a voter or designee waits until the start of mandatory early voting and through Election Day to pick up or have a ballot delivered, an additional affidavit is required. The voter must affirm that an emergency exists that prevents them from voting at an early voting site or at their assigned polling place on Election Day.
Accessible Vote-by-Mail Ballot Program
If you have a visual impairment or disability, you have the option to mark your Vote-by-Mailballot via OmniBallot.
OmniBallot is an accessible “web balloting portal” which allows eligible voters to access, mark, and print their ballots at home, on their home devices and printers. Omni Ballot is not an online voting system, and has been reviewed and certified by the Florida Secretary of State, as well as reviewed by numerous federal, state, and independent cybersecurity labs.
For more information on participating in this program, call us at 407-836-2070 or email us here.
Returning Your Vote-by-Mail Ballot
You may return your completed ballot by mail or deliver it in person.
- By Mail: Make sure to mail your ballot early to allow enough time for delivery.
- Drop Off in Person: You may drop off your ballot at our office during regular business hours or at any early voting location during early voting hours. Early voting locations are listed on our Early Voting page.
- Exchange for an In-Person Ballot: If you prefer to vote in person, you may bring your Vote-by-Mail ballot to your assigned polling place on Election Day and exchange it for a regular ballot.
For your vote to count, we must receive your voted, signed Vote-by-Mail ballot no later than7 p.m. on Election Day – postmarks do not count.
Signature Updates
Your Vote-by-Mail ballot cannot be counted if the signature on your return envelope does not match the signature we have on file. Signatures can change over time due to age, injury, illness, or other factors, so it is important to keep yours up to date.
To update your signature, complete a Florida Voter Registration Application:
Once completed, return the form to our office so we can update your voter record.
Missing Signature or Signature Mismatch
If you return a Vote-by-Mail ballot without a signature or with a non-matching signature, you can “cure” or fix your ballot with an affidavit. You have until 5 p.m. two days after Election Day to submit the affidavit, which will allow the ballot to be counted.