Florida's Election Supervisors Start Mailing Ballots for GOP Primary

The first of the more than 360,000 absentee ballots that have been requested for the Republican Presidential Preference Primary in Florida hit the mail Tuesday.

County supervisors of elections are required by Florida Statute to mail the requested absentee ballots -- also known as vote-at-home ballots -- 35 to 28 days before the primary, which for the Jan. 31, 2012, primary date runs Dec. 27 through Jan. 3, 2012.

Counties including Leon, Martin and Palm Beach plan their first bulk mailings for Dec. 27. St. Johns County Supervisor Vicky Oakes has the regular ballots set to go out Dec. 28.

Hillsborough County has scheduled its first domestic ballot mailing for Jan. 3, 2012.

These are not the first ballots distributed. Ballots for those overseas and in the military went out starting Dec. 15.

Meanwhile, those who want to participate in the Jan. 31, 2012, primary have until Jan. 3 to register or change party affiliation.

Florida is a closed primary state, which means only Republicans can vote in the Republican primary.

Also remember that Florida legislators in 2010 eliminated a provision that allowed people to request an absentee ballot be sent for every election in which they were eligible to participate.

To check on the status of your registration or the status of a requested absentee ballot, go here.

To contact your county supervisor of elections go here.

While some communities, such as Gadsden County, will have other items on the ballot, the vast majority of GOP voters will have eight names to choose from: U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.; businessman Herman Cain; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; former Utah governor Jon Huntsman; former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson; U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas; Texas Gov. Rick Perry; former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney; and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.

There is no write-in space.