Florida voters should get a good idea of which candidates have well-tuned advisers this week.
The first bulk mailing of absentee or vote-by-mail ballots for the Aug. 14 primary and local nonpartisan elections is being sent out by Floridas 67 county supervisors of elections for the first contest since the state Legislature redrew U.S. House and legislative boundary lines.
For those receiving ballots, expect some campaign literature to arrive in the mail as well, timed by political consultants who have kept up on absentee requests -- giving early voters a reminder of who is on the ballot.
The first round of bulk ballots is required to go out 28 to 35 days before the election; in the case of the primary, that is July 10 to July 17.
Broward County has more than 83,000 ballots going out this week, while Palm Beach County has more than 32,000 in the mail, and Manatee County is expected to send out 22,000 ballots on Friday. St. Lucie County has about 23,000 lined up to go out July 16.
Other ballot numbers: Collier County, 29,000; Clay County, 5,900; Martin County, 18,500; and Indian River County, 7,500.
To find your county supervisor to request a ballot, go here.
While voters can request an absentee ballot up until the day of the election, the deadline to have one mailed from the county is Aug. 8.
Ballots were required to go out by June 30 to voters in the military and overseas.
The deadline to register to vote in the primary election is July 16.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
