Mail ballots with mismatched signatures will be rejected in Duval County's Nov. 3, 2026, general election, Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland warned.

Holland issued the warning Sunday in a press release urging voters to check and update their signatures before ballots arrive. His office said handwriting changes over time, and a signature that no longer matches the one on file can cause a ballot to fail verification.

How Duval County verifies mail ballot signatures

Every returned vote-by-mail ballot stays sealed until the signature is verified. An automated sorter captures a digital image of the signature on the ballot envelope. Trained county employees then compare it manually against the signature the elections office has on file.

All staff and canvassing board members complete state-certified signature verification training, including how to detect forgeries and inconsistencies, according to the elections office.

If the signatures match, the ballot is opened and counted. If they don't, the office mails the voter a cure affidavit form with instructions to fix the discrepancy.

Tight deadline to fix a signature mismatch

Voters who receive a cure affidavit must return the completed form and a copy of their ID by 5 p.m. on the second day after the election. Based on the elections office's formula, that deadline would fall on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. After that, the canvassing board makes the final call on whether to accept or reject the ballot.

How voters can update their signatures early

Holland's office said voters who want to update their signature must do so before their mail ballot is received. The form to use is the Florida Voter Registration Application, available on the elections office website or at any public library. It can be submitted in person or by mail to the Supervisor of Elections office at 105 East Monroe St., Jacksonville, FL 32202.

Voters should also note that existing vote-by-mail requests from the primary election do not carry over to the general election. A new request is required, according to a prior elections office release.

Holland issued a similar warning June 18 ahead of the Aug. 18 primary.

Early voting sites and hours set for November

Early voting for the Nov. 3 election runs Oct. 29 through Nov. 1 at 24 sites across Duval County, according to the county's election preparation report. Weekday hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Election Day, 159 precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voters with questions can call 904-255-VOTE (8683).