Q: Can people find out who I voted for?
A: The fact that you voted in an election is public information. Anyone can ask for a list of people who cast a ballot in an election in Florida; however, you are the only person who knows how you voted. Strict procedures are in place to make sure that no one, not even election workers, can find out how you voted.

Q: How do you prevent Vote-by-Mail ballot fraud?
A: We can only mail a Vote-by-Mail ballot to a voter upon request. We track every ballot issued to voters and whether the ballots have been returned. You can track your ballot by visiting votesjc.gov to see when your ballot has been requested, mailed to you, and counted. When our office receives your ballot, we check to make sure your signature matches our records and that you have not already voted in the election. Once you return your Vote-by-Mail ballot, we update your voter registration record so you cannot vote twice.

Q: How do you prevent dead people from voting?
A: When a voter dies, we receive official notification from other government agencies, such as the Florida Department of Health and the Social Security Administration. Once we receive notice, we remove the voter’s name from the voter registration system.

Q: How do you prevent people from voting more than once?
A: We use real-time technology to update voter records as soon as someone votes, either in person or by mail. If our records show that you have already voted, you may only vote a provisional ballot, which does not count if it is determined you have already voted in the election. Otherwise you are not allowed to vote again.

Q: How do you prevent people who moved out of state from voting in Florida?
A: We share information with other states and other government agencies to keep our voter registration information up to date. When you move and register in a new state, we remove you from the Florida voter registration system.

Q: How do you prevent pets, made-up people or other ineligible persons from voting?
A: You must first register to vote before you can vote. To register, you must provide a state issued ID or Social Security Number. We verify this ID information against official databases during the registration process. This step ensures that only eligible voters are added to the voter registration system. When a voter votes in person, we check their photo and signature ID to make certain that the person is a registered voter.

Q: What is the best way for our readers to contact you?
A: Readers can email me at voakes@votesjc.com or call me at (904) 823-2238. Our website, www.votesjc.com also has a wealth of information.

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