Can florida count mail in ballots before election day

In Florida, the answer is a bit complicated.

Prior to 2018, Florida law prohibited counties from processing mail-in ballots, also known as absentee ballots, before Election Day. This meant that all mail-in ballots had to be received by the county elections office on Election Day in order to be counted.

However, in 2018, Florida voters approved Amendment 4, which changed the state's constitution to allow counties to begin processing mail-in ballots before Election Day. Specifically, the amendment allows counties to begin processing mail-in ballots 22 days before Election Day, as long as the ballots are received by the county elections office by the close of polls on Election Day.

In practice, this means that counties in Florida can start processing mail-in ballots about three weeks before Election Day. During this time, elections officials can verify the signatures on the ballots, check for any errors or discrepancies, and prepare the ballots for counting.

On Election Day, counties can then begin counting the processed mail-in ballots, along with in-person votes cast at polling stations. The goal is to have all votes counted and reported as quickly and accurately as possible.

It's worth noting that while counties can start processing mail-in ballots before Election Day, they still must follow strict guidelines to ensure the integrity and security of the voting process. This includes verifying the identity of voters, checking for any errors or discrepancies, and maintaining the secrecy of the voting process.