Emergency order issued for special elections in Sanibel and Estero
TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd issued an emergency order to ensure voters impacted by Hurricane Ian are able to participate in upcoming elections.
Byrd issued Emergency Order 23-01, waiving certain provisions of the Florida Election Code to guarantee those affected by the hurricane can vote in upcoming elections for the Village of Estero and the City of Sanibel.
“Displaced residents of Lee County Florida have experienced long-term effects as a result of Hurricane Ian,” Byrd said. “In an effort to help the voters in Lee County, the Department of State wants to ensure that we make the necessary accommodations to give voters who have been displaced an adequate opportunity to cast their ballot.”
The elections in Estero and Sanibel are scheduled for March 2023 and these provisions shall remain in effect until March 20, 2023:
- Allow vote-by-mail ballots to be sent by forwardable mail to ensure voters who have relocated will receive their ballots.
- Allow the Lee County Supervisor of Elections to accept a request for a vote-by-mail-ballot to be mailed to an address other than the elector’s address on file.
The rebuilding process is advancing but there are many residents still displaced. Lee County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle foresees continuing challenges and hardships for the area’s displaced electors.
As a Category 4 with 150 mph maximum sustained winds, Hurricane Ian tied for the fifth-strongest hurricane ever to make landfall in the U.S. The hurricane’s destruction was widespread with hard-hit areas including Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel.
