(1) There shall be in each precinct in each county one polling place which shall be accessible to the public on election day and is managed by a board of inspectors and clerk of election. Only one elector shall be allowed to enter any voting booth at a time; no one except inspectors shall be allowed to speak to the elector while casting his or her vote; and no inspector shall speak to or interfere with the elector concerning his or her voting, except to perform the duties as such inspector. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, this section shall be applicable where the computer method of voting is in use, and adequate provision shall be made for the privacy of the elector while casting his or her vote.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1), whenever the supervisor of elections of any county determines that the accommodations for holding any election at a polling place designated for any precinct in the county are unavailable, are inadequate for the expeditious and efficient housing and handling of voting and voting paraphernalia, or do not comply with the requirements of s. 101.715, the supervisor shall, not less than 30 days prior to the holding of an election, provide for the voting place for such precinct to be moved to another site that is accessible to the public on election day in said precinct or, if such is not available, to another site that is accessible to the public on election day in a contiguous precinct. If such action of the supervisor results in the voting place for two or more precincts being located for the purposes of an election in one building, the supervisor of elections shall provide adequate supplies, equipment, and personnel are available to accommodate the voters for the precincts that are collocated. When any supervisor moves any polling place pursuant to this subsection, the supervisor shall, not more than 30 days or fewer than 7 days prior to the holding of an election, give notice of the change of the polling place for the precinct involved, with clear description of the voting place to which changed, at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and on the supervisor of elections’ website. A notice of the change of the polling place involved shall be mailed, at least 14 days prior to an election, to each registered elector or to each household in which there is a registered elector.
(3) In cases of emergency and when time does not permit compliance with subsection (2), the supervisor of elections shall designate a new polling place which shall be accessible to the public on election day and shall cause a notice to be posted at the old polling place advising the electors of the location of the new polling place.
(4) Each polling place shall be conspicuously identified by a sign, on or near the premises of the polling place, designating the polling place by precinct number. Such sign shall be large enough to be clearly visible to occupants of passing vehicular traffic on roadways contiguous to the polling place, with letters no smaller than 3 inches high, and shall be displayed at all times while the polls are open on any election day.
(5) Public, tax-supported buildings shall be made available for use as polling places upon the request of the supervisor of elections.
History.—s. 22, ch. 3879, 1889; RS 176; s. 26, ch. 4328, 1895; s. 1, ch. 4699, 1899; GS 208; RGS 252; CGL 308; s. 5, ch. 26870, 1951; s. 1, ch. 57-385; s. 3, ch. 67-530; s. 4, ch. 69-281; s. 23, ch. 77-175; s. 4, ch. 78-188; s. 2, ch. 80-189; s. 12, ch. 80-292; s. 1, ch. 85-38; s. 593, ch. 95-147; s. 25, ch. 2001-40; s. 15, ch. 2002-281; s. 10, ch. 2010-167.
Note.—Former s. 99.06.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title IX - Electors and Elections
Chapter 101 - Voting Methods and Procedure
101.001 - Precincts and Polling Places; Boundaries.
101.002 - Use of System by Municipalities.
101.015 - Standards for Voting Systems.
101.017 - Bureau of Voting Systems Certification.
101.019 - Ranked-Choice Voting Prohibited.
101.031 - Instructions for Electors.
101.043 - Identification Required at Polls.
101.045 - Electors Must Be Registered in Precinct; Provisions for Change of Residence or Name.
101.048 - Provisional Ballots.
101.049 - Provisional Ballots; Special Circumstances.
101.151 - Specifications for Ballots.
101.171 - Copy of Constitutional Amendment to Be Available at Voting Locations.
101.20 - Publication of Ballot Form; Sample Ballots.
101.21 - Official Ballots; Number; Printing; Payment.
101.23 - Election Inspector to Keep List of Those Voting.
101.24 - Ballot Boxes and Ballots.
101.2512 - Candidates’ Names on General Election Ballots.
101.2515 - Translation of Ballot Language.
101.252 - Candidates Entitled to Have Names Printed on Certain Ballots; Exception.
101.254 - When Nominated Names to Appear in Groups or Districts.
101.292 - Definitions; Ss. 101.292-101.295.
101.293 - Competitive Sealed Bids and Proposals Required.
101.294 - Purchase and Sale of Voting Equipment.
101.295 - Penalties for Violation.
101.34 - Custody of Voting System.
101.341 - Prohibited Activities by Voting System Custodians and Deputy Custodians.
101.49 - Procedure of Election Officers Where Signatures Differ.
101.51 - Electors to Occupy Booth Alone.
101.545 - Retention and Destruction of Certain Election Materials.
101.5603 - Definitions Relating to Electronic Voting Systems Act.
101.5604 - Adoption of System; Procurement of Equipment; Commercial Tabulations.
101.56042 - Punch Card Type Systems Prohibited.
101.5605 - Examination and Approval of Equipment.
101.5606 - Requirements for Approval of Systems.
101.56062 - Standards for Accessible Voting Systems.
101.56064 - Application for Federal Funds Under Ch. 2002-281.
101.56065 - Voting System Defects; Disclosure; Investigations; Penalties.
101.5607 - Department of State to Maintain Voting System Information; Prepare Software.
101.5608 - Voting by Electronic or Electromechanical Method; Procedures.
101.5610 - Inspection of Ballot by Election Board.
101.5611 - Instructions to Electors.
101.5612 - Testing of Tabulating Equipment.
101.5613 - Examination of Equipment During Voting.
101.5614 - Canvass of Returns.
101.572 - Public Inspection of Ballots.
101.58 - Supervising and Observing Registration and Election Processes.
101.591 - Voting System Audit.
101.5911 - Rulemaking Authority for Voting System Audit Procedures.
101.595 - Analysis and Reports of Voting Problems.
101.6102 - Mail Ballot Elections; Limitations.
101.6103 - Mail Ballot Election Procedure.
101.6104 - Challenge of Votes.
101.6105 - Vote-by-Mail Voting.
101.6106 - Application of Other Election Laws.
101.6107 - Department of State to Adopt Rules.
101.62 - Request for Vote-by-Mail Ballots.
101.64 - Delivery of Vote-by-Mail Ballots; Envelopes; Form.
101.65 - Instructions to Absent Electors.
101.655 - Supervised Voting by Absent Electors in Certain Facilities.
101.661 - Voting Vote-by-Mail Ballots.
101.662 - Accessibility of Vote-by-Mail Ballots.
101.663 - Electors; Change of Residence to Another State.
101.67 - Safekeeping of Mailed Ballots; Deadline for Receiving Vote-by-Mail Ballots.
101.68 - Canvassing of Vote-by-Mail Ballot.
101.69 - Voting in Person; Return of Vote-by-Mail Ballot.
101.6921 - Delivery of Special Vote-by-Mail Ballot to Certain First-Time Voters.
101.6923 - Special Vote-by-Mail Ballot Instructions for Certain First-Time Voters.
101.6925 - Canvassing Special Vote-by-Mail Ballots.
101.694 - Mailing of Ballots Upon Receipt of Federal Postcard Application.
101.6951 - State Write-in Vote-by-Mail Ballot.
101.6952 - Vote-by-Mail Ballots for Absent Uniformed Services and Overseas Voters.
101.697 - Electronic Transmission of Election Materials.
101.698 - Absentee Voting in Emergency Situations.
101.715 - Accessibility of Polling Places for People Having a Disability.
101.732 - Definitions Relating to Elections Emergency Act.
101.733 - Election Emergency; Purpose; Elections Emergency Contingency Plan.
101.74 - Temporary Change of Polling Place in Case of Emergency.