Early Voting Begins Monday

Daytona Beach, FL - We are now almost two weeks away from the 2020 General Election, meaning early voting will soon be starting in the local areas. The early voting period will run from Monday (October 19th) to November 1st, stopping short just two days before the election. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. And, for those concerned about voting in person, vote-by-mail ballots can still be submitted through drop boxes located at early voting sites (click here for a full list). In fact, vote-by-mail ballots can be submitted all the way up until Election Day. However, if you want to submit your vote-by-mail ballot on Election Day, you will have to visit the elections office by 7 p.m. in order for your vote to be counted. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is October 24th. If you decide to vote in person, there will be some safety precautions put in place to keep both workers and voters safe. According to Volusia’s Supervisor of Elections Lisa Lewis, plexiglass barriers will be in place between workers—who will be wearing masks and/or face shields—and voters, who are encouraged to wear masks. Additionally, voters will be given a pen to fill out their ballot. "You can take the pen home with you, a little gift for having voted there," said Lewis. Lewis further commented on a situation that Flagler County dealt with this season regarding voters and voter intimidation. And, just like the neighboring county, Lewis said Volusia has a zero-tolerance for it. "We are not going to tolerate any intimidation," said Lewis. "We want people to come in, cast their ballot, and leave." For more information regarding polling locations and hours, be sure to visit your county’s elections website. Volusia residents can click here, and Flagler residents can click here.