If you wanted a vote-by-mail ballot for the 2026 primary, you had until 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 6, to request one. That deadline’s passed, so if you missed it, your options now are early voting or in-person voting on Election Day.

Early voting in Hendry County began on Monday, beating other Southwest Florida counties by a few days. Most other counties, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Highlands, Lee, Okeechobee, and Sarasota, kicked off their early voting on Saturday, August 8. 

Elsewhere in the state, counties like Bradford, Calhoun, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Putnam, and Santa Rosa started early voting on Monday, too.

For Lee County residents who did request vote-by-mail, you can submit your ballot at any Lee County Elections Office. They’re open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Election Day you can drop your ballot until 7 p.m. Just remember, the Elections Office needs to receive your completed ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, August 18. If you still have questions, you can reach out to the Lee County Elections Office at (239) 533-8683.

For voters in Charlotte and Sarasota counties, you can find details about ballot requests or drop-off on each county’s election website. Collier County voters can also call 239-252-VOTE for more info.

Click here for voting information in Charlotte County.

Click here for voting information in Sarasota County.

Click here for voting information in Lee County.

While the deadline has passed for requesting vote-by-mail, early voting is underway or starting soon depending on your county, and you’ve still got plenty of ways to make sure your vote counts.

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