Facilities to be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day through Aug. 18
Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner and his staff have arranged for six early voting sites that county citizens will be able to use in advance of the Aug. 20 Primary Election, his office website notes.
Each will be open from Saturday, Aug. 10, through Sunday, Aug. 18. The hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
The following are the locations:
- Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office, located at 2001 Adams Lane in downtown Sarasota, 34237.
- Venice elections office, located in Room 114 at the R.L. Anderson Administration Center, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice, 34293.
- North Port elections office, located at 13640 Tamiami Trail in North Port, 34287.
- North Sarasota Betty J. Johnson Library, located at 2801 Newtown Blvd. in Sarasota, 34234.
- Fruitville Library, located at 100 Apex Road in Sarasota, 34240.
- Gulf Gate Library, located at 7112 Curtiss Ave. in Sarasota, 34231.
As of late morning on Aug. 7, the Elections Office staff reported that the county had 327,409 registered voters. Of those, 155,720 were registered as Republicans; 85,272, as Democrats; and 86,417, as “Other.”
The total number of registered voters at the time of the November 2022 General Election was 353,493, the elections office’s data show.
To participate in early voting, the elections office website points out, “Registered voters must present current and valid signature/photo ID at any designated early voting site prior to voting.”
The Supervisor of Elections Office website also notes that a number of valid forms of ID may be used by citizens wishing to cast ballots:
- A 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 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs).
- Concealed weapon license (issued pursuant to Florida Statute 790.06).
- Employee ID card “issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the federal government, the state, a county or a municipality.”
However, the website cautions, “If your photo ID does not contain your signature, an additional ID with your signature is required.”
The website does explain, “If you do not present acceptable ID, you will have the opportunity to vote a provisional ballot. If your signature on the provisional ballot certificate does not match your signature on file with the elections office, you will need to complete and return a provisional ballot cure affidavit (English/Español) to the elections office by 5 p.m. on the second day following the election. The canvassing board consisting of the supervisor of elections, county judge and county commissioner determines the legality of provisional ballots.”