Sarasota County Unveils New Vote-By-Mail Drop Boxes For Primary

SARASOTA, FL — If you were planning to cast your ballot by mail for Florida's March 17 presidential primary in Sarasota County, you can now save the postage and drop off your ballot at special new secure vote-by-mail drop boxes.

Jennifer Fett with the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office told Patch the new boxes are located at the agency's three offices in Sarasota, North Port and Venice in addition to both early voting sites that will be used for the presidential primary.

"The boxes themselves are actually new," she said. "For all previous elections, they could always drop it off at our offices."

Fett said voters still have the option of ponying up for postage and dropping their ballots into any U.S. mailbox as long as the ballots are received at the elections office no later than 7 p.m. March 17.

Voters may return ballots by mail, in person or in the secure vote-by-mail drop boxes. The new boxes are available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday and until 7 p.m. on election night.

Early voting locations at the North Sarasota Library and the Sarasota Square Mall will accept mail ballots between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily between March 7 to March 14.

Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner urges voters to read and follow the instructions included with vote-by-mail ballots. Voters should complete and sign the ballot certificate envelope and the voter’s signature should match the signature on record.

Voters may track their vote-by-mail ballots at SarasotaVotes.com. Simply click on the “Vote by Mail” icon on the home page, select “Track your Vote-by-Mail Ballot” and follow the instructions.

The March 17 elections include the presidential preference primary, Holiday Park, Park and Recreation District election and Longboat Key bond referendum.

For more information, call the supervisor of elections office at 941-861-8600 or visit SarasotaVotes.com.