Florida's deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 5

TAMPA, Fla. - To Lyndon Dallas of Tampa, serious business should be taken care of right away. That's why on Thursday, even though ballots aren't due until Nov. 3, he dropped off the ballot he requested by mail at the Hillsborough Supervisor of Election's office on Falkenburg Road.

"My forefathers died for the opportunity to be able to vote," said Dallas. "I felt more comfortable just bringing it in and dropping it in the secure box myself instead of waiting for the mail."

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Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer says 40,000 vote-by-mail ballots have already been received and they only mailed the first ones out September 24.

While in-person dropoff is instantaneous, he says some even made it back and filled out within four days.

"The post office is getting them to us in a fast manner, there's no doubt about that," said Latimer.

But that doesn't mean this is a time to take things for granted.

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The deadline to register for November's election is Monday, Oct. 5. It can be done online or in person.

Although you have until October 24 to request a mail ballot in Hillsborough County, Latimer says do not wait that long if that's how you want to vote.

"If you make that request ten days before an election, we are not even going to mail that to you eight days before the election, so you are not going to have to get it and send it back in the mail."

That's why Latimer says the in-person drop-offs are so crucial, and why they set up an outdoor drop off even before early voting begins Oct.19.

Andre McConico didn't want to wait.

"Hillsborough County has it set up so nicely, you can just drop it off, whiz on through and your vote is done, it is counted, and you know you have done your part."

You can also track the status of your ballot online. You have to get mail-in ballots to the supervisor's office by Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.  The registration deadline is Monday night, Oct. 5 at 11:59 p.m.