<![CDATA[Tropic Press: J.C. Bruce: news2use]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/s/news2usehttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ekkd!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F098506a1-d9c3-4196-a7fa-2b24e5e91a79_400x400.pngTropic Press: J.C. Bruce: news2usehttps://www.jcbruce.com/s/news2useSubstackSat, 31 Oct 2026 00:42:48 GMT<![CDATA[In honor of National Voter Registration Day, we’ve created a new section on Tropic Press]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/in-honor-of-national-voter-registrationhttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/in-honor-of-national-voter-registrationTue, 15 Sep 2026 20:37:42 GMT

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and if you live in Florida and you haven’t registered to vote yet in the Nov. 3 general election, there’s good news:

It’s not too late.

The deadline isn’t until Oct. 5.

There’s also still time to request a vote-by-mail ballot from your local Supervisor of Elections Office now that the U.S. Supreme Court has blocked Donald Trump’s illegal scheme to disrupt this popular voting method (about one-third of all Americans vote this way).

You can find your local Elections Office in a new section I’ve just created here on the Tropic Press website. It’s called NEWS2USE.

For some time now, I have been planning to create this new feature, the goal of which is to collect the kinds of useful information we all need from time to time in one handy, one-stop information section of the website.

Today seemed like as good a day as any to launch it.

If you navigate to www.Tropic.Press, this newsletter’s website, you’ll find this new section in the menu bar. Or you can go there directly by clicking this link:

NEWS2USE

I’m just now starting to populate it with helpful data, and in honor of National Voter Registration Day, I thought I’d start with election information, as you will see if you navigate to it.

Need to know all the ins and outs of mail-in voting? It’s there.

Need help figuring out how to contact your local Elections Office? There’s a helpful link there.

And so forth.

If you look, you will see it is just in its beginning stages. There are only a few items at the moment. But we will be adding to it.

If you have suggestions for more things you’d like to see there, just drop me a note and let me know.

When I started this newsletter a year ago, one of my goals—a phrase I use from time to time— was to help readers become the smartest people in the room—or the Zoom.

I liked it especially because it rhymed, and that’s about the extent of my poetry skills.

But the underlying sentiment remains.

This is part of fulfilling that goal. And, honestly, it’s as much for my benefit as yours. I’m constantly hunting around the internet for info I need, and this will streamline my own work process as well. I hope you find it as helpful as I will.

Thanks for your attention to this matter.

J.C. Bruce

Leave a comment

Tropic Press is a reader-supported publication. You can help by sharing these posts with friends and by subscribing. If you already are a free subscriber—terrific! If you’d like to help us reach more voters, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Thank you.

Thanks for your support

Since this newsletter was launched a year ago, hundreds of thousands of subscribers have joined the Tropic Press community, making this one of the fastest-growing publications of its kind.

Our goal here is to reach as many voters as possible, so that we can increase engagement in the political process and,hopefully, raise interest in voting this coming November.

If you are encountering this newsletter for the first time, please consider subscribing. If you are already a subscriber, consider upgrading your subscription to help this work continue.

Regardless, every person you share this with is one more potential vote for change.

Please share and help us make Florida — and America — better for all of us.

Thanks.

J.C. Bruce

Share Tropic Press: J.C. Bruce

Subscribe now

]]><![CDATA[Florida vote-by-mail information]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/florida-vote-by-mail-informationhttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/florida-vote-by-mail-informationTue, 01 Sep 2026 19:53:00 GMT

Vote-by-Mail

Webpage last updated: January 14, 2026

Vote-by-mail requests must be made to the county Supervisor of Elections in the voter’s county of registration. For information about vote-by-mail for absent stateside military and overseas military and civilians, visit Military and Overseas Voting. For information about accessible voting methods for persons with disabilities, visit Accessible Voting for Persons with Disabilities

Please refer to Election Dates for key dates including the deadline to request a vote-by-mail for the 2026 Primary Election and 2026 General Election. Ballots requested within the 10-day period before an election require a special emergency affidavit to be executed.

How Do I Request a Vote-by-Mail Ballot?

A request must be made to the Supervisor of Elections in the county of registration:

  • By signed writing, using Form DS-DE 160 (Statewide Vote-by-Mail ballot Request Form) (e.g., mail, online, fax, or as scanned attachment to an email. For online request submission, visit our webpage for county specific links)

  • In person or

  • By phone

A request must include:

  • The voter’s name,

  • The voter’s date of birth,

  • The voter’s address (A signed written request is required if the address is different that the address on file. An exception exists for absent uniformed service voter or an overseas voter seeking a vote-by-mail ballot.),

  • The voter’s Florida driver license, Florida identification card, or last four digits of the voter’s social security number, whichever may be verified in the supervisor’s records, and

  • The voter’s signature (if the request is written).

Note: The statewide vote-by-mail ballot request form (Form DS-DE 160) must be used for a written request.

Who Can Request a Vote-by-Mail Ballot

The following persons can request a ballot for a voter:

  • A voter,

  • The voter’s immediate family member (i.e., voter’s spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling),

  • The voter’s spouse’s parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling

  • The voter’s legal guardian, or

  • A designee for a voter with a disability.

If a request is made on behalf of the voter, the following information must also be provided:

  • The requestor’s address,

  • The requestor’s driver license number, state identification card, or the last four digits of the elector’s social security number (if available),

  • The requestor’s relationship to the voter, and

  • The requestor’s signature (if the request is written).

Note: The statewide vote-by-mail ballot request form (Form DS-DE 160) must be used for a written request.

What is the Deadline to Request that a Vote-by-Mail Ballot be Mailed?

The deadline to request that a ballot be mailed is no later than 5 p.m. on the 12th day before the election. A Supervisor of Elections must mail the ballot within 2 business days after a request but no later than the 10th day before election day.

Who Can Pick Up a Vote-by-Mail Ballot?

A voter can pick up their own vote-by-mail ballot at any time once ballots for requests already on file have been mailed, including Election Day.

A voter can designate any person to pick up their ballot. The designee can pick up the ballot once ballots for requests already on file have been mailed. A designee is limited to picking up vote-by-mail ballots for two other voters per election (not including their own ballot and the ballots for immediate family members). An immediate family member refers to the designee’s spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or the designee’s spouse’s parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling.

The designee must submit an affidavit to pick-up the voter’s blank ballot. Form DS-DE 162 is a combination form that includes the affidavit for ballot pick-up, the written authorization for the designee and if a request is not already on record, the voter’s request for a vote-by-mail ballot.

If a voter or designee waits until the start of mandatory early voting or up through Election Day to pick up or have delivered a vote-by-mail ballot, a special affidavit must also be completed. The voter must affirm in the affidavit that an emergency exists that keeps the voter from being able to vote at a designated early voting site in his or her county or at his or her assigned polling place on Election Day. The affidavit is part of Form DS-DE 162.

How Do I Request Another Ballot?

If a ballot is lost or damaged (e.g., not yet arrived or way overdue, return envelope has sealed due to humidity, ballot materials are wet, stained from food, torn, etc.), a voter can request another ballot. Contact your Supervisor of Elections’ office. Contact information is here.

What is the Deadline to Return a Vote-by-Mail Ballot?

A returned voted ballot must be received, regardless of postmark, by the Supervisor of Elections’ office no later than 7:00 pm (local time) on Election Day. A 10-day extension exists for overseas voters only for Presidential Preference Primary and General Elections, provided the ballot is postmarked or dated by Election Day. Untimely received ballots are otherwise not counted.

What is the Recommended Timeline to Return a Vote-by-Mail Ballot?

The United States Postal Service recommends that domestic nonmilitary voters mail back their voted ballots at least one (1) week before the Election Day deadline to account for any unforeseen events or weather issues.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) provides recommended earlier timelines (see timetable at the bottom of FVAP’s website) for absent military and overseas voters. For more information about election mail and the United States Postal Service, visit the webpage on election-mail.

Where Do I Return a Vote-by-Mail Ballot?

A vote-by-mail ballot can be returned by mail or delivered in person. If returned by mail, it can be returned by the United States Postal service or through another private or commercial carrier as long as the ballot is received by the requisite deadline.

A vote-by-mail ballot cannot be returned online, by fax, by email or by fax with one exception. Overseas voters (civilian and military) have the option to return their ballot by mail or by fax. Please visit the webpage Military and Overseas Voting for more information.

Vote-by-mail ballots may also be deposited into secure drop boxes at Supervisors of Elections’ main and branch offices until 7:00 pm (local time) on Election Day. Vote-by-mail ballots may also be deposited at secure drop boxes at designated early voting sites in the county. Visit your county Supervisors of Elections’ website for the locations, days, and hours of all secure drop boxes in the county. Contact information can be found here.

How Do I Cure a Missing or Mismatched Signature on Ballot

A Supervisor of Elections must notify you that your signature is missing from the ballot certificate or does not match the one on record. To correct this issue, the voter must complete a “Vote-by-Mail Ballot Cure” Affidavit (Form DS-DE 139 - English PDF / Español PDF) and include a copy of identification. The form and copy of the ID can be returned by mail, email, fax, or in person. The deadline to submit the form and the ID is no later than 5 p.m. (local time) on the 2nd day after an election. Failure to follow the instructions may cause the ballot not to be counted.

How Do I Track My Request or Ballot Return?

To track online your vote-by-mail ballot, visit our webpage for county-specific links at Vote-by-Mail Ballot Information and Status Lookup.

The United States Postal Service also provides a free online Informed Delivery service that alerts a person as to specific mail that will be delivered that day to the person’s mail box including a requested vote-by-mail ballot

NOTE: If a voter’s registration information is protected pursuant to section 119.071(2), (4), or (5), Florida Statutes, or the voter is a participant in the Attorney General Office’s Address Confidentiality Program, the voter will need to contact the Supervisor of Elections’ office about the status of the vote-by-mail ballot and request.

How to Vote in Person if Ballot Requested

A voter who has requested a vote-by-mail ballot may change his or her mind and vote in person. The voter should bring the ballot (marked or unmarked) to the polls to turn the ballot in and vote a regular ballot. If the voter does not bring the ballot to the polls for whatever reason, the Supervisor of Elections’ office will need to confirm that the ballot has not already been returned and received. If the ballot has not been received, the voter will be allowed to vote a regular ballot.

If it cannot be determined if the ballot has been received, the voter will be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. See section 101.69, Fla. Stat.

If the ballot has been received, the ballot is deemed cast and the voter to have already voted. If the voter believes the office is incorrect for whatever reason, the voter is allowed to vote a provisional ballot. The matter will then be presented to the canvassing board for determination.

When Does a Request for Vote-by-Mail Expire?

A request to receive a vote-by-mail ballot covers all elections from the date a request was submitted through the end of the calendar year for the next ensuing regularly scheduled general election. You can alternatively ask to receive the ballot for specified elections(s) within that period.

A request must then be renewed thereafter if the voter wishes to continue to receive a vote-by-mail ballot after the expiration of each time period thereafter.

If a vote-by-mail ballot is returned undeliverable during any election, it will cancel a request on record. If the voter requests a ballot thereafter, the voter must provide or confirm his or her current residential address before being able to get a ballot.

]]><![CDATA[A list of Florida Supervisors of Elections]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/how-to-find-your-local-supervisorhttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/how-to-find-your-local-supervisorSat, 01 Aug 2026 20:05:00 GMT

There’s a handy way to locate your local Supervisor of Elections. Just click on this:

Find my Elections office

]]><![CDATA[Florida 2026 election dates]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/florida-2026-election-dateshttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/florida-2026-election-datesSat, 01 Aug 2026 19:51:00 GMT

Key Election Dates for 2026

The following are the key election dates for registration and voting for the 2026 election cycle. Visit Publications for the Elections Dates-Activities Calendar.

Primary Election 2026

  • Deadline to send vote-by-mail ballots to UOCAVA voters: July 4, 2026

  • Deadline to send vote-by-mail ballots to domestic voters: July 9 – 16, 2026

  • Deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation: July 20, 2026

  • Deadline to request that ballot be mailed: August 6, 2026

  • Early voting period (mandatory period): August 8 – 15, 2026
    (Contact Supervisor of Elections for optional days of early voting)

  • Election Day: August 18, 2026

General Election 2026

  • Deadline to send vote-by-mail ballots to UOCAVA voters: September 19, 2026

  • Deadline to send vote-by-mail ballots to domestic voters: September 24 2026 – October 1, 2026

  • Deadline to register to vote: October 5, 2026

  • Deadline to request that ballot be mailed: October 22, 2026

  • Early voting period (mandatory period): October 24 – 31, 2026
    (Contact Supervisor of Elections for optional days of early voting)

  • Election Day: November 3, 2026

]]><![CDATA[Florida Voter Registration by party]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/florida-voter-registration-by-partyhttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/florida-voter-registration-by-partySat, 01 Aug 2026 19:47:00 GMT

]]><![CDATA[Find out who is on the ballot]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/find-out-who-is-on-the-ballothttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/find-out-who-is-on-the-ballotSat, 01 Aug 2026 17:07:00 GMT

Want to know who’s on the ballot in the upcoming election? One handy source on the web is Ballotpedia. You can use the site’s drop-down menu to select the race you’re interested in and discover the candidates and information about them.

Ballotpedia

Also, if you navigate to your local Supervisor of Elections Office, see if you can’t find links to a sample ballot for the next election. Every S.O.E. office in the state is run by a local elected official, and each of the state’s 67 counties have their own processes and procedures.

In addition to statewide candidates for office like governor and U.S. senator, there are local congressional and state legislative races, and the ballots vary depending on where you live.

To find your local Elections Office, you can use this link, which is also on the news2use section of Tropic Press:

Find Your Elections Office

]]><![CDATA[Find a member of Congress]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/find-a-member-of-congresshttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/find-a-member-of-congressSat, 01 Aug 2026 16:49:00 GMT

Want to contact a member of Congress? Here’s a link that will take you to the website, pictured above, which can walk you through it.

Congressional Contacts

]]><![CDATA[Find your U.S. Senator ]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/find-your-us-senatorhttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/find-your-us-senatorSat, 01 Aug 2026 16:44:00 GMT

Want to contact members of the United States Senate? There’s a handy website that can walk you through it.

Here’s the link:

U.S. Senate Contact

]]><![CDATA[Florida Congressional Delegation ]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/florida-congressional-delegationhttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/florida-congressional-delegationSat, 01 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMT

SENATE

Name Room Phone

Scott, Rick 716 HSOB 202-224-5274

Moody, Ashley B40-B DSOB 202-224-3041

HOUSE

Name Room Phone

Jimmy Patronis 2021 RHOB 202-225-41362

Dunn, Neal 466 CHOB 202-225-52353

Cammack, Kat 2421 RHBO 202-225-57444

Bean, Aaron 2459 RHOB 202-225-01235

Rutherford, John 1711 LHOB 202-225-25016

Randy Fine 224 CHOB 202-225-27067

Mills, Cory 346 CHOB 202-225-40358

Haridopolos, Mike1 039 LHOB 202-225-36719

Soto, Darren 2353 RHOB 202-225-988910

Frost, Maxwell1 224 LHOB 202-225-217611

Webster, Daniel 2184 RHOB 202-225-100212

Bilirakis, Gus M. 2306 RHOB 202-225-575513

Luna, Anna Paulina 226 CHOB 202-225-596114

Castor, Kathy 2188 RHOB 202-225-337615

Lee, Laurel 2454 RHOB 202-225-562616

Buchanan, Vern 2409 RHOB 202-225-501517

Steube, Greg 2457 RHOB 202-225-579218

Franklin, Scott 2301 RHOB 202-225-125219

Donalds, Byron 1710 LHOB 202-225-253620

Cherfilus McCormick, Sheila 2442 RHOB 202-225-131321

Mast, Brian 2182 RHOB 202-225-302622

Frankel, Lois 2305 RHOB 202-225-989023

Moskowitz, Jared 242 CHOB 202-225-300124

Wilson, Frederica 2080 RHOB 202-225-450625

Wasserman Schultz, Debbie 270 CHOB 202-225-793126

Diaz-Balart, Mario 374 CHOB 202-225-421127

Salazar, Maria Elvira 2162 RHOB 202-225-393128

Gimenez, Carlos 448 CHOB 202-225-2778

HSOB-Hart Senate Office Building

RSOB-Russell Senate Office Building

DSOB-Dirksen Senate Office Building

CHOB-Cannon House Office Building

RHOB-Rayburn House Office Building

LHOB-Longworth House Office Building

FHOB-Ford House Office Building

]]><![CDATA[Where to find up-to-date tallies of mail-in voting around Florida]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/where-to-find-up-to-date-tallieshttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/where-to-find-up-to-date-talliesTue, 14 Jul 2026 19:56:00 GMT

The Florida Division of Elections tracks requested and returned mail-in ballots, which gives us a good sense of how voting is going. In addition to bottom-line summaries, you can check out how your county is doing by clicking this link:

Mail-in Ballots

Read more

]]><![CDATA[2026 Voter Guides]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/2026-voter-guideshttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/2026-voter-guidesSat, 13 Jun 2026 00:42:00 GMT

League of Women Voters Vote 411 guide:

Vote411

Read more

]]><![CDATA[A searchable database to find county-by-county Florida Elections Offices]]>https://www.jcbruce.com/p/a-searchable-data-base-to-find-countyhttps://www.jcbruce.com/p/a-searchable-data-base-to-find-countyFri, 12 Jun 2026 17:28:00 GMT

Check out this handy link to search for and find the website of your county’s Supervisor of Elections office:

Office Locator

Read more

]]>