Public Records Request Policy

This page explains how you can request copies of public records from the Elections Office.

What Records Can I Request?

Florida has a broad public records law. Most documents are open to inspection and copying. This includes most records related to elections and voting. We will make our best effort to provide or direct you to existing records that are available. However, we are not required to create new records. We are also not required to compile or customize data to fulfill your request.

Some information is confidential or exempt from disclosure. If you request a record that contains confidential or exempt information, we will redact any confidential or exempt part.

Confidential or exempt information includes:

Voters’ driver’s license, ID card, or Social Security numbers
Records for pre-registered voters
Information related to where a voter registered
Identifying information of persons with high-risk professions or victims of certain crimes
Information related to critical infrastructure
Records related to cybersecurity, network schematics, or hardware and software configurations
Trade secrets that are held by an agency
Voter signatures can only be viewed, not copied
Vote-by-Mail ballot request information can only be given to certain persons and organizations

How Can I Request Records?

Public records requests can be submitted through our NextRequest Public Records Request portal at soe.putnam-fl.gov/records. By submitting requests online, requestors will be able to create a NextRequest account that allows them to access the status of their request at any time and communicate directly with the records custodian.

Requests can also be made vis:

Email: electionrecordsrequest@putnam-fl.gov
Phone: (386)329-0224
Mail/In-person: Supervisor of Elections
Attn: Records Custodian
2509 Crill Ave., Suite 900
Palatka, FL 32177

Are There any Fees?

Records

If you want physical copies of records, we will charge you a fee for the copies:

$0.10 for each photocopy page
For other copies – the actual cost of duplication

If you request a very large volume of electronic records, we will charge you for the cost of a thumb drive or other storage device.

If you request that records be physically mailed to you, we will charge you for the cost of postage.

We will waive these fees if the total cost of physical copies or postage is less than $1.

Staff Time

The first hour of staff time spent preparing and working on your request is free. After the first hour, we will charge you a “special service charge” for the labor costs associated with fulfilling your request. This is based on salary and benefits of the lowest-paid employee who can work on your request and the time spent working on your request. This includes time spent locating, organizing, copying, and redacting the records you have requested, as well as time for a manager to review the records for confidential and exempt information.

How Will You Process my Request?

We will acknowledge your request in a timely manner. If there is a cost involved in fulfilling your request an estimate will be provided. This process may take longer during an election. We may ask you questions so that we can identify the records you seek.

No Cost

If we estimate that there is no cost for your request, we will identify and copy the records you have requested. We will also redact any confidential or exempt information from the copies. Then, we will provide you with the copies of the records.

Cost

If we estimate that there is a cost for fulfilling your request, we will send you an estimate. You can agree to pay the cost, or we can work with you to narrow your request. You will have seven business days to respond, or we will consider the request abandoned and close the request. Once we receive payment based on the estimate, we will begin work on fulfilling your request.

Once we have completed the work, we will let you know of the final cost. It may be different from the estimate.

If the final cost is greater than your pre-payment, we will send you another invoice for the balance. Once you pay the balance, we will provide you with copies of the records.

How Will I Receive the Records?

If the records are electronic, we will email you a link to a download portal containing electronic copies of the files. If the files are too large for download, we will provide them to you on a thumb drive or other storage device.

If the records are physical, you can pick them up from our office or we will mail them to you.

If you want to physically inspect the records, we will work with you to schedule a time to review the records in our office.

Many records are on our website. If the records you have requested are there, we will provide you with the location of the files on our website.

Who Do I Contact with Questions?

If you have any questions about public records, please contact our Custodian of Public Records:

Director of Operations
(386)329-0224
electionrecordsrequest@putnam-fl.gov