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Guide/Elections

Bay County early voting starts Oct. 19; mail ballot requests due Oct. 22

The Bay County Supervisor of Elections lists different early voting hours for its office and for other sites, and a 5 p.m. deadline on Oct. 22 to request a mail ballot.

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Calendar card showing the Oct. 22 deadline to request a Bay County mail ballot ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
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Early voting for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election begins Monday, Oct. 19, in Bay County, Florida, according to the Bay County Supervisor of Elections website. Requests for a vote-by-mail ballot must be in by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22.

Dates and hours as of Oct. 18, 2026, from the Bay County Supervisor of Elections.

When does early voting start in Bay County?

Early voting in Bay County begins Oct. 19, 2026, according to the Bay County Supervisor of Elections. The office’s “Dates to Remember” list does not give a closing date for early voting.

What are the early voting hours in Bay County?

The hours depend on where you vote, according to the Bay County Supervisor of Elections.

Early voting site Hours beginning Oct. 19, 2026
Supervisor of Elections office 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
All other early voting locations 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The page used for this guide does not list the addresses of the early voting sites. The Supervisor of Elections keeps them on a separate Early Voting Locations page, linked from bayvotesfl.gov.

What is the deadline to request a mail ballot in Bay County?

The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election in Bay County is 5 p.m. on Oct. 22, 2026, according to the Bay County Supervisor of Elections. Requests are made through the “Request a Mail Ballot” page on the office’s website.

When does the Bay County Canvassing Board count mail ballots?

The Bay County Canvassing Board meets twice in October to begin processing vote-by-mail ballots, according to the Supervisor of Elections:

  • Oct. 21, 2026, 8:30 a.m.: begins the canvass of vote-by-mail ballots, scans them into the audit system and duplicates ballots as needed.
  • Oct. 29, 2026, 8:30 a.m.: continues the same work.

Where can you see the Bay County sample ballot?

You can view the Bay County sample ballot online at bayvotesfl.gov/elections/sample-ballot. The Bay County Supervisor of Elections said in a website post that the mailing of sample ballots was slightly delayed because of the storm, and that they should arrive in mailboxes soon. The office did not say when they will arrive.

The office also lists amendment and judicial resources on its voting guides and resources page.

How many voters are registered in Bay County?

Bay County had 128,818 active registered voters as of Oct. 17, 2026, according to the Bay County Supervisor of Elections.

Party registration Active voters, Oct. 17, 2026
Republican 75,519
Democratic 24,078
Other 29,221
Total 128,818

The Supervisor of Elections website also lists a Notice of Election for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election and a Canvassing Board schedule under its public notices.

Questions and answers

When does early voting start in Bay County, Florida?
Early voting in Bay County begins Oct. 19, 2026, according to the Bay County Supervisor of Elections. The office is open 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and all other locations are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
What is the deadline to request a mail ballot in Bay County for the 2026 general election?
The deadline is 5 p.m. on Oct. 22, 2026, according to the Bay County Supervisor of Elections.
Where can I see my sample ballot in Bay County?
The Bay County Supervisor of Elections posts sample ballots at bayvotesfl.gov/elections/sample-ballot/. The office said the mailing was slightly delayed because of the storm.

Sources

  1. Bay County Supervisor of Elections
  2. Bay County Supervisor of Elections: sample ballot
  3. Bay County Supervisor of Elections: voting guides and resources

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