Your Ballot in Plain English
When is Election Day?
Tuesday, November 3, 2020 (Election Day is always the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.)
Where do I vote?
Your Voter Identification Card will list the location of your precinct/polling site or you
can simply contact the Supervisor of Elections in your country. Each county operates many polling sites, so your assigned precinct will
be near your home. You must vote in your assigned polling site on Election Day (unless you vote by mail). The polls are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Sample Ballot
Florida is a “Republican trifecta” state, in that the political party controls the governorship, state senate, and statehouse, and has done so for several years. Furthermore, both of Florida’s U.S. senators, the majority of the state’s U.S. House delegation, and control of most of the state’s 67 counties are Republican.
- U.S. Senate: 2 Republicans; 0 Democrats
- U.S. House: 14 Republicans; 13Democrats
- Florida State Senate: 23 Republicans; 17Democrats
- Florida State House: 73 Republicans; 47Democrats
- Florida 2016 presidential election results
- Donald J. Trump 4,617,886
- Hillary Rodham Clinton 4,504,975
HELPFUL SOURCES
Vote411 (League of Women Voters)
This site offers customized information on your ballot, your local races, and an online voter guide. It is hosted by the League of Women Voters. Simply enter your address on the prompt and you can get information on your ballot and candidates.
PolitiFact, a division of the Tampa Bay Times newspaper, is an independent fact-checking website aimed at reporting the truth in politics. They were awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2009. The website checks statements from elected officials for accuracy using the site’s Truth-O- Meter.
Open Secrets (Center for Responsive Politics)
The Center for Responsive Politics is a nonpartisan, independent, and nonprofit research group tracking money in U.S. politics. The Center’s mission is to inform citizens about the impact of money in politics, empower voters by providing unbiased information, and advocate for a transparent and responsive government.
Project Vote Smart is dedicated to strengthening what they believe to be the most essential component of democracy— access to information. They take no money from special interest groups, PACs, and corporations and report information on candidates for public office.
Fact Checker (Washington Post)
The truth behind the political rhetoric and claims, fact-checked by journalists known as the “truth squad.”
Fact Check (Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania)
Fact Check is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocate for voters with a goal of reducing deception and confusion in politics and campaigns by monitoring the factual accuracy of statements by politicians and newsmakers.
A helpful service that allows voters to see sample ballots, find out which candidates and measures are on the ballot, and other information on campaigns and elections.
Judgepedia (Lucy Burns Institute)
Judgepedia provides information on judges, courts, and elections for judicial positions. It provides an interactive almanac on judges across the country.
10 COMMON VOTING MYTHS
Myth 1: If your name doesn’t appear on the voter roll at the polling site you can’t vote. No, you can vote but you will need to do so with a provisional ballot.
Myth 2: If you recently moved and forgot to inform the election office you can’t vote.
No, you can still vote as long as you live in the state and are a registered voter, but you will need to vote with a provisional ballot.
Myth 3: Mail-in ballots really don’t count unless there is a tied election.
No, they count like regular ballots in every state and are counted irrespective of how close the election might be.
Myth 4: You are unable to bring notes or a checklist into the voting booth with you.
No, you are permitted to bring a helpful voting tip sheet with you. In fact, it will help you and shorten the time required to vote.
Myth 5: If you wear a political shirt or candidate’s button, you’ll be turned away at the polls.
No, if you are a registered voter you can’t
be turned away unless you are disruptive or breaking a law. However, active campaigning is prohibited in the voting area.
Myth 6: If you have an unpaid parking ticket you can’t vote.
No, you can vote even if you have unpaid parking tickets, owe child support, and so on. Polling sites do not have information about such matters.
Myth 7: If you were registered to vote by ACORN your registration is invalid.
No, as long as the individual(s) registering you (from any organization) filed accurate information with the elections office you are registered.
Myth 8: If you leave a race unmarked on your ballot, your entire ballot will not be counted.
No, you are free to vote or not vote for any candidate in a particular race. If you leave one race blank, that is called an “under-vote.”
Myth 9: If I am still in line to vote at 7:00 PM, the poll closes and I can’t vote.
No, as long as you are in line by 7:00 PM (when polls close), the polling site must accommodate you, even if it takes until after 7:00 PM.
Myth 10: I can’t register to vote using my school address because I will be dropped from my parents’ health insurance coverage.
No, you will not be dropped.
