Vote-by-mail ballots for absent uniformed services and overseas voters.

(1) If an absent uniformed services voter’s or an overseas voter’s request for an official vote-by-mail ballot pursuant to s. 101.62 includes an e-mail address, the supervisor of elections shall:

(a) Record the voter’s e-mail address in the vote-by-mail ballot record;

(b) Confirm by e-mail that the vote-by-mail ballot request was received and include in that e-mail the estimated date the vote-by-mail ballot will be sent to the voter; and

(c) Notify the voter by e-mail when the voted vote-by-mail ballot is received by the supervisor of elections.

(2)(a) An absent uniformed services voter or an overseas voter who makes timely application for but does not receive an official vote-by-mail ballot may use the federal write-in absentee ballot to vote in any federal, state, or local election.

(b)1. In an election for federal office, an elector may designate a candidate by writing the name of a candidate on the ballot. Except for a primary or special primary election, the elector may alternatively designate a candidate by writing the name of a political party on the ballot. A written designation of the political party shall be counted as a vote for the candidate of that party if there is such a party candidate in the race.

2. In a state or local election, an elector may vote in the section of the federal write-in absentee ballot designated for nonfederal races by writing on the ballot the title of each office and by writing on the ballot the name of the candidate for whom the elector is voting. Except for a primary, special primary, or nonpartisan election, the elector may alternatively designate a candidate by writing the name of a political party on the ballot. A written designation of the political party shall be counted as a vote for the candidate of that party if there is such a party candidate in the race. In addition, the elector may vote on any ballot measure presented in such election by identifying the ballot measure on which he or she desires to vote and specifying his or her vote on the measure. For purposes of this section, a vote cast in a judicial merit retention election shall be treated in the same manner as a ballot measure in which the only allowable responses are “Yes” or “No.”

(c) In the case of a joint candidacy, such as for the offices of President/Vice President or Governor/Lieutenant Governor, a valid vote for one or both qualified candidates on the same ticket shall constitute a vote for the joint candidacy.

(d) For purposes of this subsection and except when the context clearly indicates otherwise, such as when a candidate in the election is affiliated with a political party whose name includes the word “Independent,” “Independence,” or a similar term, a voter designation of “No Party Affiliation” or “Independent,” or any minor variation, misspelling, or abbreviation thereof, shall be considered a designation for the candidate, other than a write-in candidate, who qualified to run in the race with no party affiliation. If more than one candidate qualifies to run as a candidate with no party affiliation, the designation may not count for any candidate unless there is a valid, additional designation of the candidate’s name.

(e) Any abbreviation, misspelling, or other minor variation in the form of the name of an office, the name of a candidate, the ballot measure, or the name of a political party must be disregarded in determining the validity of the ballot.

(3)(a) An absent uniformed services voter or an overseas voter who submits a federal write-in absentee ballot and later receives an official vote-by-mail ballot may submit the official vote-by-mail ballot. An elector who submits a federal write-in absentee ballot and later receives and submits an official vote-by-mail ballot should make every reasonable effort to inform the appropriate supervisor of elections that the elector has submitted more than one ballot.

(b) A federal write-in absentee ballot may not be canvassed until 7 p.m. on the day of the election. A federal write-in absentee ballot from an overseas voter in a presidential preference primary or general election may not be canvassed until the conclusion of the 10-day period specified in subsection (5). Each federal write-in absentee ballot received by 7 p.m. on the day of the election shall be canvassed pursuant to ss. 101.5614(4) and 101.68, unless the elector’s official vote-by-mail ballot is received by 7 p.m. on election day. Each federal write-in absentee ballot from an overseas voter in a presidential preference primary or general election received by 10 days after the date of the election shall be canvassed pursuant to ss. 101.5614(4) and 101.68, unless the overseas voter’s official vote-by-mail ballot is received by 10 days after the date of the election. If the elector’s official vote-by-mail ballot is received by 7 p.m. on election day, or, for an overseas voter in a presidential preference primary or general election, no later than 10 days after the date of the election, the federal write-in absentee ballot is invalid and the official vote-by-mail ballot shall be canvassed. The time shall be regulated by the customary time in standard use in the county seat of the locality.

(4) For vote-by-mail ballots received from absent uniformed services voters or overseas voters, there is a presumption that the envelope was mailed on the date stated on the outside of the return envelope, regardless of the absence of a postmark on the mailed envelope or the existence of a postmark date that is later than the date of the election.

(5) A vote-by-mail ballot from an overseas voter in any presidential preference primary or general election which is postmarked or dated no later than the date of the election and is received by the supervisor of elections of the county in which the overseas voter is registered no later than 10 days after the date of the election shall be counted as long as the vote-by-mail ballot is otherwise proper.