This is the last weekend to vote early in Florida. Here’s what you need to know

This is your last weekend to early vote in South Florida before Election Day on Tuesday.

And if you live in the Keys, Saturday is your last day for early voting.

Early voting for president, local races starts Monday. Here’s where in South Florida

So far, many of you have already cast your ballots by mail, dropped off your ballot at a box at a polling station or voted an early voting location.

As of Halloween morning, nearly 4.5 million registered voters have voted by mail, according to the state’s election department. And more than 3.8 million voted early by visiting a polling station.

The Democrats ballots-cast advantage over Republicans in Florida has shrunk to about 116,000 and both parties have turned out 61% of their voters. Those who are registered independently have a 46% turnout rate so far.

If you still want to take advantage of the last remaining moments before Election Day — when you have to vote at your assigned precinct — here is a last minute refresher on how to do that.

Where can I early vote?

You can vote in person at any early voting location in your county from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Miami-Dade voters have 33 early voting locations. Broward voters have 24 secure drop-off locations around the county to choose from and those in the Florida Keys have five early voting locations.

Can I still mail in my ballot?

The U.S. Postal Service had warned voters to get their ballots in the mail at least a week before Election Day to ensure their ballots arrived by the 7 p.m. Tuesday deadline. Postmarks alone won’t cut it — unless you’re an overseas voter.

The time has long come and gone.

So what can I do now with that vote-by-mail ballot I put off mailing or dropping off?

▪ Drop your completed ballot into a drop-off box at any early voting location through Saturday in the Keys and through Sunday in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

But be careful. Many early voting locations are at libraries and in some cases the election drop-off box is located near the library’s book drop-off box. Make sure you drop your ballot into the election drop-off box. A poll worker should be around to help out and point you in the right direction but in case they are busy don’t, in haste, drop it into the wrong box.

▪ Vote in person at an early voting location. Don’t forget to bring an ID.

You can also bring your vote-by-mail ballot with you and a poll worker can mark it canceled. You can do this on Election Day, too, at your assigned precinct if you haven’t sent it in. But you can’t drop it off at your assigned precinct on Tuesday — just at your county’s main elections department location or its branch office. You’ll still have to vote in person on Election Day and get that mail-in ballot marked canceled if you’re still holding on to one or haven’t gone the early-voting route.

How do I vote and make sure it is counted in Florida’s election? Follow this guide

Can I get my filled-out ballot into a drop box on Monday?

Yes and no.

Drop boxes will be available at county election offices in Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and Palm Beach on Monday and on Election Day. So you can drop off there.

But the early voting locations are not available to collect from drop-off boxes on the Monday before Election Day. So don’t go to the libraries and other early voting sites.

I need assistance to vote because I have some issue that makes it difficult. Can someone help me out?

Yes. If you need assistance at the polling station to fill out and cast your ballot you may register a person as your assistant. The person can be a family member, friend or guardian. They can’t be your employer or a representative of your employer, according to Florida’s Division of Elections. Two members of the Supervisor of Elections’ staff can also help you if you don’t have anyone else, according to Florida Statute 101.051.

What you would do is fill out a declaration affirming that you need help to cast your ballot. The clerk can help you with the form. Make sure you bring your ID. Also, the person you designate as your assistant has to bring an ID, too, and fill out a form saying that they are to help you.

When you register to vote you can also indicate you need assistance at the polls.

The person helping you can not coerce you in how to vote.

Check to make sure your ballot was processed

The county Supervisor of Elections’ website or the Florida Division of Election’s Voter Information Lookup page can give you some peace of mind. Along with listing your Election Day precinct’s location in case that’s the plan you’ve settled on, the site also lists other information pertinent to you.

After you’ve voted you can log in, enter your name and birth date, and the Lookup page should tell you if your vote has been received. If you cast your ballot at an early voting location it will also tell you this so you have some additional peace of mind knowing your voice was heard.

Still have questions?

County election department phones are:

▪ In Miami-Dade you can also call 305-499-8683 to find your precinct information.

▪ In Broward, you can call 954-357-7050.

▪ In Monroe, you can call 305-292-3416.

▪ In Palm Beach, you can call 561-656-6200.