Election 2020: Polls To Have Coronavirus Restrictions In Place

TAMPA BAY, FL — The coronavirus pandemic may have upended businesses, schools, jobs and health care, but it doesn't seem to have had much of an impact on elections.

The biggest consequence of the pandemic on the elections process, said Tampa Bay supervisors of election, is more people are voting by mail and voting early to avoid crowds at the polls.

Nevertheless, elections officials have stocked up on hand sanitizer and face masks, knowing there's always a percentage of voters who prefer to cast their ballots in person on Election Day.

Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the Nov. 3 general election.

Elections officials warn there may be longer wait times as a result of measures such as limiting the number of people inside the polling room and continuous cleaning of equipment and surfaces to protect voters, volunteers and staff from the coronavirus.

Planned Health And Safety Measures

• Mandatory masks and/or face shields for poll workers
• Optional use of re-usable ballot secrecy sleeves
• Hands-free check-in with a Florida driver's license and Florida ID cards via 2D barcode reader
• Option to use personal blue or black marking pens to mark ballots
• Disposable masks for voters who don't have their own
• 6-foot social distancing while in line outside and inside the polling place
• Ongoing cleaning of surfaces, voting pens, voting machines, etc.

What To Bring To The Polling Place

To avoid delays at the polling place, bring one or two forms of identification that include your signature and photo. Without proper identification, you may still vote a provisional ballot, which will later be evaluated by a canvassing board for eligibility.

Any of the following forms of photo identification are acceptable:

• Florida driver's license
• Florida ID Card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• U.S. passport
• Debit or credit card
• Military ID
• Student ID
• Retirement center ID
• Neighborhood association ID
• Public assistance ID
• Veteran health ID (issued by the Veterans Administration)
• Concealed weapon license (issued pursuant to s. 790.06)
• Government employee ID

If your photo ID does not include your signature, you will be asked to provide another ID that has your signature.

Also, bring your sample ballot with you to the polling place marked with notes on how you plan to vote. This will help keep lines down for voters.

If you received a vote-by-mail ballot but decided to vote in person, your vote-by-mail ballot will be canceled.

When You Arrive At The Polls

1. Check in with your valid and current photo and signature ID.
2. Receive your paper ballot and proceed to a privacy booth.
3. Using the black pen provided, completely fill in the oval next to each of your selections.
4. Review your ballot. If you wish to make changes, request another ballot.
5. If you have any questions, ask a poll worker before you insert the ballot in the scanner. Once a ballot has been accepted, it cannot be retrieved.

If you are satisfied with your selections:

• Take your ballot to the optical scanner in the secrecy folder provided.
• Insert your ballot into the optical scan feeder.
• The scanner will record your votes and place your ballot into the locked ballot box.
• The scanner will alert you if your ballot appears blank or if it detects too many votes.
• You will have the option to either submit the ballot as is or make changes.
• You are not required to vote in every race or for every issue on the ballot; therefore the scanner will not alert you of instances in which you did not vote.

For information, visit

• Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections
• Pasco County Supervisor of Elections
• Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections

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