Seminole County to air election canvassing sessions live, starting with Oct. 9 equipment test

Residents who want to watch how Seminole County checks its voting equipment and handles mail ballots will be able to follow along on television this fall.

Seminole County Government Television, the county's official government channel, plans to carry live coverage of every Canvassing Board session for the Nov. 3 general election, according to a notice on the county's website. The first session is set for 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9, when the board conducts public logic and accuracy testing, the pre-election check of tabulating equipment.

The Canvassing Board reviews vote-by-mail and provisional ballots and certifies results. All of its meetings will be held at the Supervisor of Elections office, 1500 E. Airport Blvd. in Sanford.

The schedule

• Oct. 9, 9 a.m.: public logic and accuracy testing; canvassing
• Oct. 19, 10 a.m.: canvassing vote-by-mail ballots
• Oct. 22, 24, 26, 29 and 31, and Nov. 2, 9 a.m.: canvassing vote-by-mail ballots
• Nov. 3 (Election Day), 3 p.m.: mail ballots and election night returns
• Nov. 5, 4 p.m.: provisional ballots, cures and the second unofficial results report
• Nov. 13, 1 p.m.: overseas mail ballots, official results and an automated independent audit

The county said the broadcasts are meant to help residents understand the steps used to protect the integrity of local elections. SGTV is also asking viewers to fill out a programming survey.

Who runs the election

The county notice points out that the Board of County Commissioners does not run elections. The Supervisor of Elections is one of five independently elected constitutional officers, along with the clerk of court, property appraiser, sheriff and tax collector, and county government has no oversight of those offices.

Residents who believe they have seen election fraud can report it to the Florida Department of State's Division of Elections at 1-877-868-3737, the county said.

For those voting by mail, the Supervisor of Elections office says ballots must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day to count, and a postmark does not qualify. Completed ballots can be mailed, handed in at the elections office while it is open, or left at secure ballot intake stations at early voting sites while those sites are open.

Sources

seminolecountyfl.gov

voteseminole.gov

voteseminole.gov