Ensuring Secure and Trustworthy Elections in St. Lucie County

Election security starts with the voter rolls. Florida’s Department of State verifies all new voter registration applications to ensure each applicant is eligible. St. Lucie County’s voter registration database is updated continuously to maintain accuracy. Any change to a voter’s record (such as an address update or party change) leaves an audit trail and is backed up daily. We use official data sources – including Florida’s Vital Statistics and National Change of Address reports from USPS – to identify and remove ineligible voters (for example, those who have moved, passed away, or become ineligible due to a felony). Under Florida law, supervisors regularly conduct voter list maintenance programs (at least once in odd-numbered years) to catch outdated registrations and ensure the rolls remain current.

Florida’s Online Voter Registration (OVR) system incorporates strong security measures to prevent fraud and protect personal data. To use OVR, an applicant must provide their Florida Driver’s License or state ID number (with issuance date) and the last four digits of their Social Security number. These requirements help verify the voter’s identity and make unauthorized registrations extremely difficult. All of these steps ensure that only qualified, real voters are on our rolls, forming a secure foundation for our elections.

• Photo ID required: Florida law requires every in-person voter to show an approved photo ID with signature at the polling place. This could be a Florida driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or other accepted identification. Showing ID ensures each voter is who they claim to be. If a voter doesn’t have proper ID, they can still cast a provisional ballot, which will only be counted once the Canvassing Board verifies the voter’s eligibility after Election Day.
• Electronic poll books & real-time check-in: St. Lucie County uses secure electronic poll books (digital check-in tablets) at every voting site. These poll books are connected in real time to the county’s voter registration system and the statewide database. The moment you check in to vote – whether during early voting or on Election Day – the system marks your record as having voted. This immediate update prevents anyone from voting twice in the same election. (For example, if someone casts a mail ballot and then tries to vote in person, poll workers would see that a vote has already been recorded and would not issue another ballot.) This interconnected system, funded in part by federal election security grants, greatly enhances our ability to detect and block any duplicate voting attempts.
• Paper ballots for every vote: Florida is a paper-ballot state, which means whether you vote early, on Election Day, or by mail, your votes are recorded on a paper ballot that you mark. Paper ballots provide a physical record of each vote. After you cast your ballot (by feeding it into a scanner/tabulator at the polling place), the paper ballot is securely retained by election officials. By law, all ballots must be preserved for at least 22 months after an election. This retention period ensures that we can always go back to the original paper records for any recounts or audits. The paper trail is an essential security feature – it means that electronic tallies can be checked and verified against hand counts of the ballots if needed.

• Requesting a mail ballot: Only registered voters may request a vote-by-mail ballot, and the request must include specific identifying information to verify the voter’s identity. When a voter asks for a mail ballot (whether online, by phone, or in writing), they must provide personal details like their Florida driver’s license or ID card number or the last four digits of their SSN, along with their date of birth. These details are checked against the voter’s registration record before a ballot is sent out, ensuring the ballot is going to the right person.
• Ballot delivery and return: Once the request is confirmed, the Supervisor of Elections office sends the voter an official mail ballot package. The ballot comes with a pre-addressed return envelope that includes a voter’s declaration and a place for the voter's signature. Crucially, the voter must sign the return envelope for their ballot to count. When the completed mail ballot is returned to our office, it stays sealed inside its envelope until we begin processing it.
• Signature verification: Every returned mail ballot goes through a strict verification process. Trained staff (and sometimes the county Canvassing Board in a public meeting) will compare the signature on the ballot’s return envelope to the signature we have on file for that voter (from their registration). This signature matching step confirms the voter’s identity. We also check the voter’s record to make sure they haven’t already voted in that election by another method. Only after the signature is verified as a match and the voter is confirmed to have no other vote cast do we mark that voter’s record as “voted” and accept the mail ballot for counting. If there’s any issue with the signature (for example, it’s missing or doesn’t match), Florida law allows the voter to cure their ballot by submitting a signed affidavit and ID by a certain deadline, so that every valid vote is still counted.
• Secure handling and tracking: Accepted mail ballots remain sealed and secured until they are counted. We keep all mail ballots in a locked, monitored storage area. By statute, the counting of mail ballots (opening the envelopes and tabulating the ballots) happens in the presence of the Canvassing Board or their representatives, typically on election night or during a publicly noticed meeting. This process is open to authorized observers. Once the mail ballots are opened and fed into vote-counting machines, they are immediately re-sealed in secure containers and stored, just like in-person ballots, for 22 months. The entire chain of custody for mail ballots is documented and transparent. For added transparency, voters can track the status of their vote-by-mail ballot online – from the time we mail it out to you, to the time it’s received and counted – so you can confirm your ballot was accepted.

These vote-by-mail protections ensure that only the intended voter can cast their mail ballot, that each mail ballot is authentic, and that all valid mail votes are counted accurately.

St. Lucie County uses voting machines and tabulation equipment that are certified by the State of Florida. Before any voting system can be used in Florida, it undergoes rigorous testing by the Florida Department of State to ensure it meets state standards for security and accuracy. Our ballot scanners and tabulators have been vetted and approved through this state certification process. In short, the machinery that counts our votes is state-certified, tested, and secure.

Before every election, our team performs a public Logic and Accuracy test on the voting equipment. During L&A testing, we select a random sample of voting machines and run a set of pre-marked test ballots through them to make sure every race, every candidate, and every option on the ballot is being read and counted correctly. This test verifies that the machines are working as intended and will accurately count the votes on Election Day. The L&A testing is done with representatives of the political parties present and is open to the public to observe – we publicly advertise the testing session in advance so that interested citizens or media can attend. Only after the machines pass all these tests do we clear their counters to zero and seal them for use in the election.

Once testing is complete, each voting machine and ballot scanner is locked and sealed with tamper-evident seals. We record the unique serial numbers of every seal. The equipment then remains under lock and key until it’s deployed for voting. When machines are delivered to early voting sites or Election Day precincts, they are accompanied by detailed chain-of-custody logs. Election staff or couriers must sign for the equipment, noting the seal numbers. No machine is ever left unattended, and only authorized election staff can break a seal, and only at the proper time (for instance, to set up the machine for voting in the morning, under observation). This means we have a documented trail for every piece of equipment from our warehouse to the polling place and back. On Election Day morning, bipartisan teams of poll workers verify that each machine’s seals are intact and the counters are at zero before voting begins. These procedures ensure that machines cannot be tampered with without detection.

A critical security practice we follow is that voting machines and tabulation servers are NEVER connected to the internet. The precinct ballot scanners that count votes at polling places are standalone and not online. After the polls close, the vote totals from each polling place are transmitted or transported to the central election office via secure, offline methods. Similarly, our central vote tally system (which aggregates results county-wide) operates on a closed local network. By isolating election equipment from the internet, we eliminate the risk of hacking or intrusion into the vote counting system. (Our election management systems are also closely monitored by network security sensors, which we’ll discuss later in the cybersecurity section.) The bottom line: no voting or counting machine in St. Lucie County can be accessed remotely.

During Early Voting and on Election Day, each polling location is run by a team of trained poll workers, including representatives from both major parties. They make sure all procedures are followed. For instance, before opening the polls, workers confirm that the number on each machine’s seal matches the official log and that zero votes are recorded, as documented during L&A testing. Throughout the day, voted paper ballots are securely stored inside the sealed tabulation machines or secure ballot boxes. Any time a ballot box is opened (for example, to empty an overflow or to pack up at the end of the night), it’s done in the presence of at least two officials. Poll watchers (authorized observers from parties or candidates) may be present in polling places to observe these processes firsthand.

After voting ends, each precinct or early voting site closes out the machines and produces paper results tapes – these are like receipts that list the total votes each candidate or issue received on that machine. We publicly post one copy of the results tape on the door of the polling place for any public observers to see on election night. The official precinct results are then transmitted securely from the polling place to our central election headquarters. In St. Lucie County, this transmission is done over a dedicated secure network to a standalone server in our office (again, not connected to the wider internet). Election workers also physically transport the sealed memory devices from the voting machines, or the sealed ballot boxes themselves, back to the elections office as a double safeguard. Once at the office, those results are loaded into the central count. We back up the unofficial results in three ways: the electronic transmission, the physical results tapes from every machine (which we’ve collected), and of course the original paper ballots themselves. Before we report any county-wide results, we cross-check that the number of ballots counted from each precinct matches the number of voters who checked in at that precinct. If anything doesn’t line up for some reason, it triggers an immediate investigation and reconciliation before the results are finalized.

The county Canvassing Board plays a vital role on Election Night and the days immediately after. This board (made up of the Supervisor of Elections, a County Judge, and the Chair of the County Commission, or their alternates) is responsible for reviewing and certifying the election results. They meet publicly to canvass vote-by-mail ballots and provisional ballots that were set aside on election night. For example, if a mail ballot had a missing signature or a provisional ballot was cast, the board examines those cases in a public meeting and decides whether those votes can be counted, according to Florida law. All of these meetings are open to the public and advertised in advance, and campaign representatives are typically present to observe. Once all valid votes are accounted for, the Canvassing Board will formally certify the official results for St. Lucie County, sending the signed results to the Florida Division of Elections.

Florida’s laws ensure that close elections get an extra layer of scrutiny. If a race in St. Lucie County (or a statewide race on our ballot) is decided by a very small margin, an automatic recount is triggered. Specifically, if the margin of victory is 0.5% or less, a machine recount of that contest is required by law. This means we run all the ballots through the tabulators again for that race and verify the totals. If the margin after the machine recount is 0.25% or less, then a manual recount is triggered. In a manual recount, we don’t re-tally every vote; instead, we manually review every ballot that the machines flagged as having an overvote or undervote in that contest (for example, where a voter might have marked two choices, or maybe didn’t clearly mark any choice). During a manual recount, the Canvassing Board examines those particular ballots by hand, in a public setting, with representatives of the candidates and political parties present to observe and raise any objections. This transparent process ensures that in ultra-tight races, every intentional vote is accounted for and the outcome is correct. In recent elections, St. Lucie County has conducted recounts when required, and they have confirmed the initial results or determined the correct winner as per the voters’ marks. The public can attend or watch these recount proceedings, reinforcing trust in the outcome.

Recounts are only for close races, but routine audits happen after every election, no matter the margins. Once the election is over and results are certified, Florida law requires a post-election audit. In St. Lucie County, we perform a manual post-election audit of 100% of ballots cast with an independent system to verify the accuracy of the voting system. For a manual audit, the process works like this: a race (for example, a county commission race or an amendment question) and certain precincts are randomly chosen in a public meeting. Teams of election staff (with observers allowed to be present) then hand count all the ballots in those precincts for that race, and we compare the hand count to the machine count. The goal is to ensure they match up, which would confirm that the machines counted properly on election day. If there is any discrepancy, it is investigated thoroughly and resolved under state guidelines.

In addition to this required audit, our office performs a number of internal reconciliation audits to double-check the election. These include confirming that the number of voters checked in equals the number of ballots cast, verifying that the vote-by-mail ballots counted match the number of mail ballots received, and ensuring that any duplicate ballots (ballots that had to be remade due to damage or machine unreadability) were copied accurately. We also verify that the results we report to the state exactly match our internal tallies and the election night reports. In fact, many of these audit steps are outlined by the Florida Division of Elections and are standard practice in every county. By auditing our results from multiple angles, we double-check the accuracy of the election outcome.

To illustrate the thoroughness, here are some of the key audits we conduct after an election:

• Voter Check-ins vs Ballots Cast: Confirm that the number of voters who signed in (including early voters and day-of voters) equals the number of ballots tabulated.
• Precinct Results Verification: Compare the precinct-level results reported on election night (including those posted at polling places) with the aggregated results to ensure they transmitted correctly.
• Vote-by-Mail Reconciliation: Verify that every mail ballot received was accounted for in the tally, and that the count of mail ballots cast matches the count of mail ballot envelopes processed.
• Duplicated Ballot Check: If any mail ballots had to be duplicated (transferred to a fresh ballot due to tears or marks that couldn’t be read by scanners), we verify that each duplicate matches the original ballot’s choices.
• Results Certification Cross-check: Ensure the final results we certify locally match the official results recorded by the state Division of Elections.
• Full Voting System Audit: Finally, we conduct a comprehensive audit of the voting system. Many Florida counties (including ours) now opt to digitally rescan all ballots using an independent audit system, or manually audit a large sample, to verify that the outcome is 100% consistent with the votes cast.

All of these measures combine to give a very high level of confidence in the accuracy of the election. We also publish the Post-Election Audit reports on our website for the public to review. For example, after the 2020 General Election, St. Lucie County’s audit confirmed the machine counts were accurate, and that report is available for anyone interested. These layers of auditing mean that by the time results are final, they have been checked and re-checked.

All voting machines, scanners, and paper ballots (both blank and cast) are stored in highly secure facilities. Our main elections operations center has controlled access – only authorized election staff can enter. Every door is secured with locks or access badges, and the premises are under 24-hour video surveillance. We have cameras monitoring all areas where ballots or equipment are handled. These surveillance systems are monitored and recordings are retained, so any unauthorized access attempt would be caught. The secure storage and surveillance remain in place not just before the election, but also after Election Day when ballots are stored for the retention period.

Whenever ballots or machines are moved or handled, we enforce a chain-of-custody procedure. This means there is always a clear, documented log of who handled the items, when, and why. For example, when we transfer ballots from a polling place back to the elections office, two people transport them, sealed, and they sign them over to intake officials at the office, who also sign the transfer log. At every step, from the printing of blank ballots, to deploying equipment, to the return of voted ballots, there’s a sign-off process that creates accountability. Only trained staff and sworn election officials are permitted to handle ballots and equipment, and they do so in teams (to provide checks and balances). This strict chain-of-custody ensures that ballot boxes cannot be opened, nor machines tampered with, without leaving evidence and involving multiple people.

On Election Day and during early voting, each polling site has procedures to secure voting materials. Voting machines are kept in plain view of the poll workers and (by extension) any observers. Ballot boxes are sealed and often within arm’s reach of an official. Election workers regularly check that the seals on equipment remain intact throughout the day. If any emergency or disruption occurs, there are contingency plans to secure ballots. Law enforcement is also on call if needed to respond to any security issues at polling locations. We also station greeters or deputies at busier polling places to manage the flow of voters and ensure the voting area remains secure. After voting ends, bipartisan teams transport the sealed ballots and memory devices back to the elections office immediately.

The tabulation center (where we compile results) is physically secured. Only election staff and Canvassing Board members are allowed inside while tabulation is in progress. Observers can watch through windows or designated viewing areas, but may not enter the secure tabulation room. The tabulation server and workstations themselves are kept locked in our server room when not in use.

Election offices across Florida, including St. Lucie County, work closely with state and federal cybersecurity partners. Elections have been designated as “critical infrastructure” by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which means additional resources and attention are provided to protect them. We collaborate with DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Florida Department of State on risk assessments and security improvements. We also coordinate with our County’s IT department and the Center for Internet Security. These partnerships give us access to the latest threat intelligence and cybersecurity services to defend our systems.

Our office has implemented advanced network security monitoring tools. For instance, we have deployed an Albert sensor on our network – this is a special device (provided through a DHS partnership) that monitors network traffic and alerts us and federal analysts to any signs of malicious activity. In 2018, leveraging federal grant funds, St. Lucie County invested in secure connectivity for our election systems and upgraded computer servers and firewalls. This included enhancing the secure connection between our office and the state voter registration system, and improving our network infrastructure. The Albert sensor and other tools keep watch 24/7 for any unusual patterns, and have become a standard election security practice across many counties.

We abide by cybersecurity best practices at every level. All election office computers and devices are kept updated with the latest security patches and antivirus software. We use strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication for access to sensitive systems. Only a small number of essential personnel have access to critical election databases, and permissions are set to the minimum needed for their roles (principle of least privilege). Regular backups of our data (such as the voter registration database) are performed and stored securely, both on-site and off-site. This means that even in the event of a hardware failure or ransomware attack, we can quickly restore our systems from clean backups.

Human vigilance is a big part of cybersecurity. Our staff receives ongoing training to recognize phishing emails and other cyber threats. We conduct tabletop exercises and drills, sometimes in coordination with state and federal agencies, to simulate potential incidents – for example, how to respond if a suspected malware attack occurred close to Election Day. By practicing our response plans, we ensure we’re prepared to act quickly and effectively in a crisis. We also participate in statewide election security calls and conferences to stay updated on threats and how to counter them.

As mentioned earlier, one of the most important cybersecurity protections is that our vote-counting system is isolated from the internet. Even if an attacker tried to target our tally computers, they could not reach them through cyberspace. Additionally, our election management network is separated from the county’s general network, adding another layer of isolation. We routinely have independent security audits performed on our systems to test for vulnerabilities.

We have an incident response plan in place in case something does happen. This plan covers both cyber incidents and physical emergencies. For example, if a computer shows signs of being compromised, we can quickly take it offline, investigate, and switch to backup systems if needed. The state also has cybersecurity rapid response teams that can assist counties if called. We conduct post-election cybersecurity reviews as well, to learn and improve each time.

The Canvassing Board (the Supervisor of Elections, a Judge, and a County Commissioner) oversees critical parts of the election in public settings. For example, they publicly meet to test machines before the election (during L&A testing), to canvass vote-by-mail and provisional ballots, and to conduct recounts and audits. These meetings are advertised and open to the public and press. Importantly, Canvassing Board members must be impartial – if any member is a candidate or active campaigner in a race on the ballot, they are replaced with an alternate for that election. This rule keeps the oversight nonpartisan and fair.

Florida allows authorized poll watchers to be present in every polling location and early voting site. These are individuals appointed by candidates or political parties to observe the process. In St. Lucie County, we welcome poll watchers and provide them guidelines so they know what they are allowed to do (and not do) while observing. Poll watchers might, for instance, keep an eye on how voters are checked in or how ballots are handled, and they can alert the clerk if they see any issues. Additionally, during the vote-by-mail ballot opening and tabulation, each candidate and party is entitled to have observers present in the room. This means when we are verifying signatures and feeding ballots through tabulators, there are eyes from different parties on the process. And as noted, for any recount or manual audit, those are done as public meetings where campaigns can send representatives to watch every ballot review. This broad access for observers ensures accountability – the public can see for themselves that the rules are followed.

We invite the public to watch critical pre- and post-election activities. The Logic & Accuracy test (where we test machines with sample ballots) is a public event – anyone interested can attend and see the test ballots run through the machines and see that results come out perfectly matching the expected outcomes. After the election, when we do the post-election audit, we similarly conduct that in an open forum. We’ll announce which race and precincts are chosen for the audit, and observers can watch as we manually count those ballots and compare to the machine count. By allowing observers at these steps, we provide firsthand proof that the equipment works and that the results were accurate.

Almost every stage of our election process has some documented procedure or public record. For instance, our office files Security Procedure documents with the Florida Department of State before each major election, detailing how we will handle and secure ballots, how the counting will be done, etc. These must be approved at the state level, ensuring we meet all requirements. After each election, we produce a Conduct of Election Report that the Canvassing Board files, summarizing how the election was carried out. These reports provide a post-election summary and are available for public inspection. We also report detailed election results – by precinct, by contest, including all vote-by-mail and provisional breakdowns – so that anyone can analyze the outcome in detail.

Members of the public or media can request many election records (within what is allowed by law) to verify for themselves the integrity of the process. For example, the cast vote record or ballot images (the machine’s record of each ballot) can be made available after the election. We redact any information that could identify voters (to protect ballot secrecy), but the data showing how votes were counted can be examined. We also provide live updates on election night and updates on our website about turnout during early voting, etc., to keep the public informed in real time.

Beyond observers and formal processes, transparency also means helping voters understand how elections work. Our office frequently holds voter education workshops, public demonstrations of the voting equipment, and presentations to community groups about election security. We want voters to know about all the safeguards that are in place – as in this document – because an informed public is a confident public. We also publish FAQs and guides (in print and on our website) that explain things like “What happens to my ballot after I cast it?” or “How do I know my mail ballot was counted?”. By demystifying the process, we combat misinformation and reduce anxiety about election integrity.

All official information about elections (dates, polling places, results, etc.) is distributed through our Supervisor of Elections office – via our website, press releases, and verified social media accounts. We use our channels to proactively inform the public and address rumors. For example, if there's a false rumor circulating about polling hours or a candidate, we will clarify the facts on our platforms. Voters should rely on our official St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections website or the Florida Division of Elections for accurate information, rather than unofficial social media posts.

Our website is kept secure and up-to-date. We utilize security protocols (HTTPS encryption and regular security scans) to protect our site. Many Florida election offices have transitioned their websites to the “.gov” domain for added trustworthiness (for instance, Collier County moved to CollierVotes.gov in 2021). Domains ending in “.gov” are restricted to U.S. government entities, making it harder for impostors to create fake sites. While our primary domain is currently .com, we ensure that any online information about St. Lucie County elections is clearly identified with our office and is secure. Always look for our official logo or contact information to verify that a site or message is truly from us.

We maintain an active presence on social media (such as Facebook) to reach voters. Our accounts are verified on those platforms (look for the checkmark badges) to indicate that they are the authentic source for election updates. We have implemented mandatory two-factor authentication on all our social media and online accounts. This added login security helps prevent any unauthorized person from taking control of our accounts. By securing our communication channels, we reduce the risk of hackers spreading false information pretending to be us. If you see election information on social media, we encourage you to cross-check it with our official postings. If it didn’t come from an official or verified account, be cautious.

We ask the community to help combat misinformation. If you receive an alarming or suspicious message about the election (for example, a text saying “your polling place has changed” or a social post claiming a candidate has dropped out), verify it through our office. Unfortunately, in recent years, there have been instances of false information aimed at confusing voters. We work closely with state officials and even law enforcement when needed to address deliberate disinformation campaigns. One of the best defenses is an informed voter: know that we will always provide correct information, and you can call or email us with any question about something you’ve heard. During elections, our office often issues “rumor control” updates debunking common myths (much like the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency does at the national level). We want to ensure no voter is turned away or fails to vote because of bad info.

Our commitment to trusted information also involves year-round voter outreach. We hold presentations on how elections are run, and we publish brochures that cover topics like “elections security in St. Lucie County” and “10 reasons to trust our elections.” These materials break down the complex security measures in simple terms. We also join forces with community organizations to spread accurate information. For example, before major elections, we might partner with local media to publish a “Facts vs Myths” article about voting by mail, or appear on radio shows to answer questions about election integrity. By actively communicating, we aim to preempt confusion and reassure voters of the integrity of the process.

After every election, we conduct an internal review to identify any areas for improvement. This might involve debriefing with poll workers and staff, reviewing any security incidents or anomalies (even minor ones, like a jammed ballot scanner), and evaluating feedback from the public. We stay informed on the latest recommendations from national election organizations and the Florida Department of State. For instance, if other counties successfully pilot a new audit technique or a new type of seal, we consider if it could benefit St. Lucie as well.

Using state and federal grants, we invest in newer technology that can enhance security. In recent years, funds from the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and state grants have helped us purchase things like improved electronic pollbooks, hardened servers, updated firewall systems, and physical security upgrades for our offices. We plan our budget with security in mind – for example, scheduling the replacement of equipment once it reaches a certain age to ensure we’re always using supported, modern devices. In 2018, our county received an Election Security grant which we used to bolster connectivity and network security between polling places and our databases, as well as to strengthen building access controls. As new best practices emerge (such as risk-limiting audits or advanced voter verification tools), we evaluate how to incorporate them into our procedures while maintaining reliability.

We actively participate in statewide election security initiatives. Florida has an Election Infrastructure Security team that facilitates communication between counties and state cybersecurity experts. We regularly join statewide webinars and training sessions on topics like cyber threat updates and physical security assessments. The Department of Homeland Security, through CISA, offers free services like risk vulnerability assessments and remote network scanning – St. Lucie takes advantage of these services to get expert check-ups on our systems. We also collaborate with other counties to share knowledge. Our Supervisor of Elections is a member of the Florida Supervisors of Elections (FSE) Association, where security is a frequent topic of discussion. This peer network is valuable for learning what’s working well elsewhere and what new challenges have arisen. In short, we don’t work in a bubble – we leverage the collective wisdom and support of election security partners at all levels.

Unfortunately, those who would seek to disrupt elections are always adapting, so we must too. Whether it’s a new strain of ransomware or a novel disinformation tactic on social media, we stay vigilant. If intelligence emerges about a specific threat to elections (say, a foreign actor attempting to breach voter registration databases nationwide), we take proactive steps locally, such as intensifying monitoring or temporarily limiting remote access even for authorized users. We maintain and regularly update an extensive contingency plan for various scenarios: power outages, hurricanes (important in Florida), civil unrest, etc., to ensure that even in worst-case situations, the election can be conducted and ballots protected. Our goal is to be prepared for anything.

We view voters as partners in this mission. Public feedback often helps drive improvements. For example, if voters express concern or confusion about a particular aspect (like ballot drop box security or how we handle mail ballot signature mismatches), we address it – perhaps by adding new signage at drop boxes with security camera info, or by improving our communications on the cure process for signatures. By listening to our community, we can target our efforts where people feel they’re most needed.

St. Lucie County has built a comprehensive election security program that matches the highest standards in the state of Florida and the nation. We use a layered approach – legal safeguards, technological defenses, and human oversight – to protect every aspect of the voting process. From the moment you register to vote, through casting your ballot, to the final tally and audit, your participation is guarded by procedures you can trust.

Our elections are conducted with total transparency and a commitment to accuracy. Thanks to paper ballots, rigorous verification, and audits, voters can have confidence that the reported results are true and correct reflections of the will of the people. In the 2020 General Election, for example, St. Lucie County saw a turnout of over 77% – with 173,488 ballots cast – and every single valid vote was counted and verified in the final results. We take pride in the fact that not one ballot goes unaccounted for.

Election security is an ongoing effort, and we will continue to refine our methods as new best practices emerge. The Supervisor of Elections office encourages you to stay informed and involved. If you ever have questions or concerns about how our elections are run, please contact us – we are happy to provide information, tours, or demonstrations.

Your vote is your voice, and our mission is to ensure that voice is heard loudly, clearly, and securely. St. Lucie County voters can cast their ballots with confidence, knowing that we have done everything possible to protect their rights and the integrity of our democratic process. Together, through vigilance and transparency, we uphold elections that you can trust.