Resources for Voters Displaced by Hurricane Ian in Florida

Last updated on October 27, 2022

The governor of Florida issued an emergency executive order following Hurricane Ian which includes election procedures that changed starting October 12, 2022 and will remain in effect for 30 days.

If you are temporarily displaced by the hurricane and are registered to vote in Florida, you may use this page to learn how you can participate in this year’s election.

Displacement due to Hurricane Ian:

  • Voters who are permanently displaced and won’t return to their former residence can re-register and have a ballot sent to their new registration address (or vote in person at the new location).

  • Voters who are temporarily displaced have two options:

    (1) submit a signed, written absentee ballot request to have their ballot mailed to an address other than their registration address; or

    (2) contact the Lee County Supervisor of Elections office to learn about any expanded in-person voting options during early voting and on election day. There will be a shuttle that leaves once a day from a local evacuee shelter.

Early Voting:

  • Original Deadlines are suspended in affected counties:

    • Allows each Supervisor of Elections to conduct early voting beginning on the 15th day before the Election (10/24/2022) and to end on the day of the election (11/08/2022).

      • Early voting in Sarasota County is available until November 6, 2022
      • Early voting in Charlotte County is available until November 7, 2022
      • Early voting in Lee County is available until November 8, 2022

    • Supervisors of Elections have the authority to establish additional early voting sites, provided that such sites are geographically located to allow all voters in the affected county an equal opportunity to cast a ballot.

Vote By Mail:

  • All voters in Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota counties will be allowed to request their VBM ballot by phone, and can have the ballot mailed to an address other than the address on their voter file (same way as is authorized for absent uniformed service voters/overseas voters)

    • Voter must provide their FL driver’s license number, FL identification card number, or the last four digits of their social security number
    • The provision requiring each Supervisor of Elections to provide a VBM ballot to each elector who makes a request by non-forwardable, return-if-undeliverable mail is suspended in each affected county. Supervisors shall have the authority to send VBM ballots by forwardable mail to allow for alternative addresses.

  • There are two offices open in Ft. Myers where voters can now pick up absentee ballots in person.

For Questions about voting by mail, call your county election office.

  • Charlotte County: 941-833-5400
  • Lee County: 239-533-8683
  • Sarasota County: 941-861-8600

Polling Places:

  • Suspends the current statute that prohibits Supervisors from moving a voting location less than 30 days prior to an election has been suspended

    • Allows each Supervisor in an affected county to relocate or consolidate any polling place if the supervisor finds that the continuing impacts of Hurricane Ian warrant.

  • If polling place moves:

    • Supervisor shall provide for the voting location to be moved to another accessible site within the same precinct, or if not available, another site in a contiguous precinct.

The Local Election Office is the government office responsible for running elections in your region. These are the best people to contact if you have any questions at all about voting in Florida.