How to ensure your mail-in ballot gets counted

ORLANDO, Fla. - As Orange County gets ready to send out their vote by mail ballots next week, the Supervisor of Elections said that there are lots that voters should know.

For example, if a ballot is not completed properly, it cannot be included.

During the primary, Orange County Elections Supervisor Bill Cowles said that hundreds of ballots never made it to the ballot box. He explained that "in Orange County, it was a little over 500 with no signatures and a little over 300 where the signature did not match."

He said that there are several ways though to correct the situation and check a signature on file though. He told FOX 35 "if you know your signature has changed from when it might have been when you registered to vote. And some people say, check your driver's license to see because usually, your driver’s license signature is probably your official signature."

He added that there’s a way to change a signature on file using a cure affidavit, saying that "the nice part about the cure affidavit is that, if you cure it, it will automatically be used to update your signature on your record." 

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Several pastors in Central Florida are combining forces to convince people to register to vote.

Pastor Marcus McCoy Jr. of Greater Refuge Memorial Church said that "there is about 15-plus coalitions who have come together, put personal differences aside, and ambitions aside."

Pastor Derrick McCrae of Experience Christian Center added "you have to make sure you’re vote is counted because you definitely matter."

Pastor Terrence Gray of St. Mark AME Church said to "take the time on following up on the vote. Which means if you’re going to do the mail in, you can track it."

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By using a tracking system on the election’s supervisor’s site, you can see when your ballot was returned to the election’s office. Voters also have the option of using a drop box during early voting.

Cowles said that "all vote by mail ballots must arrive in this office election night by 7 p.m." 

He suggests you send your ballot a week before the election, so it arrives on time. 

Orange County will send out mail-in ballots on September 30th.

Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.