MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — With the general election just two weeks away, early voting officially underway, and communities still reeling from Hurricane Milton’s impacts, we wanted to know how the voting process would be impacted.
WPTV News journalist Victor Jorges spoke with Martin County Supervisor of Elections Vicki Davis ahead of polls opening for early voting on Monday.
Davis said Martin County’s voting sites were not impacted due to the hurricane or tornadoes that hit the state before its landfall. However, she did say the voters displaced due to losing their homes have a few options to still vote.
“Unfortunately, Milton did take a toll on the Treasure Coast,” Davis said. "We do have voters that lost homes here in Martin County. If they are displaced, they just need to call us and we'll make sure we get a vote by mail ballot to those voters. There's still time.”
Voters in Martin County have until Thursday, Oct. 24 to request a new vote-by-mail ballot if they’ve been displaced.
Davis also pointed out that many offices across our state are being flexible with voters since so many areas saw damage.
Just last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order giving some counties a break.
Executive Order 24-234 is meant “to make appropriate accommodations to ensure that residents that were impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton still have the ability to vote in this November’s election,” according to the governor’s site.
Jorges reached out to Gertrude Walker, the supervisor of elections in St. Lucie County, one of two counties in our viewing area mentioned in the executive order. Indian River County is also included.
Walker wrote to Jorges that the requirement for voters to have a signed, written request for a vote-by-mail ballot to be sent to an address other than the voter’s address on file has been waived, due to the executive order. This will benefit first responders and anyone that has been displaced because the storm. Voters can call the Supervisor of Elections office, instead of submitting a written request.
Walker also said that in St. Lucie County, the hours for early voting have been extended for the general election, with a total of 138 hours available for voters to take advantage of including evenings and weekends. Voters in St. Lucie County can vote at seven different locations during early voting. All voters must vote at their designated precinct come election day.
You can find more details by checking out the WPTV Voter Information Guide.
Davis also told Jorges about the importance, and ease, of casting a ballot in this election.
“This is a really important election,” Davis said. “It's a presidential election conducted every four years. I would still encourage those voters that might be dealing and with stressful situations such as loss of home damage to home to still take that time to come out and vote. It only takes a few minutes.”
PALM BEACH COUNTY EARLY VOTING
Long lines were the norm at most early voting sites in Palm Beach County on Monday.
WPTV visited the Gardens Branch library in Palm Beach Gardens where the voter line was wrapped around the building and went into the parking lot.
"I think it's very important. It gives people an opportunity to get their vote in and not have to do it in one day," Cindy Willoughby, an early voter, said Monday. "If anybody is going to do it, I highly recommend they get an appointment which you can do online to avoid the lines so it was a nice process."
The Palm Beach County Elections Office reminds voters that they make an appointment to vote early. You can book an appointment time slot to vote at any early voting location during early voting hours for the election. Click here to book your appointment to vote early in Palm Beach County. This is an optional program for those who want to schedule a time to vote. You are not required to make an appointment to early vote.
