Your quarterly news & updates from the Supervisor of Elections Office | |
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From Supervisor Chambless
"Voting isn't the most we can do. But it is the least."
-Gloria Steinem
The 2024 election season is here, and it's more important than ever to make your voice heard!
Our team works hard all year long in order to be ready for the election cycle. Preparation is the key to our success, and we do everything in our control to ensure a smooth experience for our voters from start to finish.
This year don't sit on the sidelines - get involved in the process and invest in yourself. By voting, engaging with your community, and staying informed, you can help shape the future of Clay County. So don't wait - start taking action today and make a difference in the world around you.
Get ready to make your voice heard in 2024!
Chris
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2024 is going to be a busy election year with the Primary Election in August, followed by the General Election in November. Before either of those elections, there is the Presidential Preference Primary (PPP) on March 19.
As the name suggests, the PPP is how the major parties in Florida nominate their candidates for president. This year, only the Republican party will hold a primary. As a reminder, Florida is a Closed Primary state, meaning that you must be registered with a party at least 29 days prior to an election to vote in that party's primary.
Now is a good time for voters to ask themself some basic questions: Am I registered to vote? Do I need to make changes to my voter information? How will I vote in upcoming elections? What do I need to do to be prepared?
Many of the answers to these questions can be found on our website ClayElections.gov. You can find important election dates, check your status, register to vote or update your information, and order Vote by Mail ballots.
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2024 Election Dates
Presidential Preference Primary
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Deadline to register to vote Tuesday, February 20
Primary Election
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Deadline to register to vote is Monday, July 22
General Election
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 7
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Need to Register to Vote? | |
If you're new to Florida, or have never been registered to vote, now's the time!
Registering to vote only takes a few minutes. You can do it online or pick up a paper registration form at any public library, Tax Collector's office, or our office in Green Cove Springs.
We encourage all voters to check their status and make any changes or updates prior to voting.
Register online or update your voter info.
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Due to a change in Florida law, all previous Vote by Mail requests expired in 2022. If you'd like to Vote by Mail in 2024, you will need to make a new request. Click the link below to do it online.
Request your Vote by Mail ballot for 2024.
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Handwriting changes over time. If you have noticed a change in your handwriting, and particularly your signature, please update your signature with the Elections Office. It's important that we have your current signature on file because it's used to verify your Vote by Mail ballot and/or candidate and initiative petitions. If your signature has changed, you may update it at any time by submitting a new Voter Registration Application.
Signature updates can be made at any time but must be received before Vote by Mail ballots are canvassed in order to be accepted for an election. (F.S. 98.077)
How to update your signature.
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Early Voting allows you to vote on your own schedule! Vote at any one of the seven convenient Early Voting locations throughout the county. Visit EarlyVoteClay.com to find addresses, directions, and current wait times. | |
Election Worker Recruitment | |
Election Workers are the backbone of democracy. Our office would not be as successful without the dedicated group of Election Workers we have. They are your friends, family, neighbors, and a part of our Clay County community.
To highlight our awesome Election Workers, we've been featuring them on our social media feed and through other outlets. Keep an eye out for them and learn more about why they enjoy serving their community!
Learn more about becoming an Election Worker here.
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Town of OP Fall Festival
October 21 and 22, we were at the Town of Orange Park's Fall Festival. It was two days packed full of amazing vendors and artists, musicians, local talent, and so much more!
We had lots of residents stop by to ask questions, register to vote, and update their voter information. The weather was perfect, and we love any opportunity to be part of such a great community event!
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High School Registration Drives
Every year we visit each high school to conduct voter registration drives. Students who are 16 or 17 years old are able to pre-register to vote, while those who are 18 are able to register and will be able to vote in the next election.
Members of our Outreach team spent the months of October and November visiting all seven public high schools and speaking to the students about registration and the voting process. We appreciate the principals, support staff, and all the students who participated and helped make it happen!
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Farm City Luncheon
Members of our office attended the 51st Annual Farm-City Luncheon at the Clay County Fairgrounds. Each year just before Thanksgiving, the Florida Farm Bureau celebrates the partnerships between farmers, ranchers, truckers, scientists, retailers, and city residents. These positive relationships help to maintain our high quality of life in Clay County.
We heard remarks from speakers including Clay County Farm Bureau President Gayward Hendry and County Commissioner Betsy Condon, plus Florida 4-H State President Taylor Thigpen, enjoyed a wonderful lunch by Cowboyz BBQ, and met with many of our fellow county partners. Events like these remind us how lucky we are to live in Clay County!
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Annabelle's Holiday Open House
In mid-October we held a Voter Registration Drive at Annabelle's Interiors when the store held its annual holiday sale! We enjoyed the great weather and getting to meet so many of our Clay County residents who came to check out the store!
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2023 Mini Elections Expo
In the beginning of December, the Elections Office hosted a group of Clay County citizens on a tour of our office. Supervisor Chambless, Voter Services Manager Kemie Mahan, and Elections Services Manager Holly DePaul escorted them through a high-level overview of the safeguards and procedures throughout the elections process. We touched on Vote by Mail security from beginning to end, the organization and preparation for in-person voting, plus a summary of everything that happens before we certify the election equipment. At the conclusion, Supervisor Chambless answered questions in-depth. We'd like to thank all of the attendees for taking the time to learn more about the elections process.
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Voter Services
Our front office staff has been staying busy processing petitions from both candidates and from initiatives. Did you know that we check the signature on each one of those petitions? Yep, that means we've looked at thousands of signatures since the beginning of the year!
Along with the petitions, there have been lots of Vote by Mail ballot requests coming in. As always, between new residents, students from the high school registration drives, and those who are turning 18, we've been processing lots of Voter Registration applications.
In between, our Voter Services team has been updating procedures and reviewing our processes for election season because we're always trying to find ways to better serve our voters!
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Election Services
Our Election Services Team has been busy with lots of projects! The warehouse itself has been cleaned and reorganized and supplies have been ordered. Election equipment and training manuals have been updated for 2024. They've created diagrams for all the cages that house the equipment for Early Voting and Election Day. A big part of a successful election is the organization and preparation that happens long before voting starts!
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Next time you come into the Elections Office you may notice it's had a bit of a facelift! Over the last few weeks, we've had several staff members, led by Phyllis, freshen up the main areas with a new coat of paint! We appreciate all their hard work to get it done in time for next year! | | | |
The holidays are always festive around our office! We celebrated our annual Christmas party with a taco bar and some sweet treats. Our Voter Services staff came up with some great games to play- including a few very competitive rounds of Jenga! Then it was time for our traditional white elephant gift exchange. All in all, we had a great time full of laughter and fun! It was the perfect way to wrap up this year as we head into 2024! | |
Michelle, our November birthday, celebrating with red velvet bundt cake. | | |
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Happy Anniversary
Lynn..............15 years
Kemie............8 years
Jill..................2 years
*Denotes full-time employment.
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