Florida

Florida Senate passes bill proposing election, vote-by-mail changes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Senate passed a bill on Monday that would change the way the state’s election and vote-by-mail systems work.

A House version of the bill is still working its way through to a vote.

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Here’s what changes Senate Bill 90 would put into place:

Florida elections changes:

  • Clarifies “no-solicitation zones”
  • Non-party affiliated candidates must take same oath
  • Felon voting eligibility
  • New requirements for real-time election data reporting

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Florida vote-by-mail changes:

  • Reduces the number of elections a vote-by-mail ballot request is valid
  • Bans mailing vote-by-mail ballots without request
  • Vote-by-mail ballots can only be turned in by voter or immediate family
  • Four-year signature matching verification
  • Drop boxes must be monitored
  • Canvassing time increased from 22 days to 35/40 days

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Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.