Taryn Ashby
Early Monday morning, people around Alachua County gathered in lines outside of voting locations to submit their mail-in ballots and cast their votes.
“We are pretty happy with what we have seen so far,” said Aaron Klein, director of communications at the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office, in an interview. “I was at Millhopper Library this morning and at 9 a.m., there was a solid line of people waiting to come in, so we are excited.”
The early voting period for the 2022 General Election began at 9 a.m.
From today through Nov. 5, registered Alachua County voters can vote early at any of the county’s seven early voting locations between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
During the early voting time frame, voters can also deliver their completed vote-by-mail ballot to any secure ball intake stations located outside each voting site.
Hundreds of trained ballot intake station attendants and elections workers continuously monitor the polls and ballot intake stations. Â
“It is required under state law to do training before every election, so our staff is very experienced in what is required and the procedures,” Klein said. “The training will depend on each worker’s position.”
EViD operators, clerks, and ballot intake station attendees are responsible to keep election days flowing smoothly by guiding voters and answering any questions they may have.
Early voting ends Sunday, Nov. 6, when the only voting allowed will be at the Supervisor of Elections Office from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Voters can still return their vote-by-mail ballot Nov. 6-7 to the secure ballot intake station located at the Supervisor of Elections Office.
“My wife and I always vote early,” said Dennis Tracy in an interview. “This year isn’t any different. We vote, and we vote early. We often are traveling close to this time of the year, so this makes it convenient to vote.”
Here are the seven early voting locations:
- Supervisor of Elections Office: 515 N. Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601
- Millhopper Branch Library: 3145 NW 43rd St, Gainesville, FL 32606
- Tower Road Branch Library: 3020 SW 75th St, Gainesville, FL 32608
- Orange Heights Baptist Church:16700 FL-26, Hawthorne, FL 32640
- Legacy Park Multipurpose Center: 15400 Peggy Rd, Alachua, FL 32615
- J. Wayne Reitz Union: 655 Reitz Union Drive, UF Campus, Gainesville, FL 32611
- Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center: 23100 W Newberry Rd, Newberry, FL 32669
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the general election is Saturday, Oct. 29.
Vote-by-mail ballots can be requested online, in person, by phone, fax, mail, or by email. 
The Supervisor of Elections Office must receive domestic vote-by-mail ballots by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. 
The only secure ballot intake station available on Election Day will be at the Supervisor of Elections Office from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voters must present a valid photo and signature identification to vote early. To find a complete list of acceptable photos and signature IDs, visit VoteAlachua.gov or call the Supervisor of Elections Office during regular business hours at 352-374-5252.Â
Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office: Quit patting yourselves on the back: Separate and identify the “secure ballot intake stations located outside each voting site” from the lines of voters waiting to fill out and submit their ballots. If one drives up with a completed ballot and sees the line of voters, there is a good chance they will drive away, not wanting to stand in line for 30 minutes or more while other voters complete their ballot and submit it!
no waiting at the drive trough ballot drop off at the elections office on main street in Gville.