Sebastian, Florida Public Records

Registering to vote can be done online at www.registertovoteflorida.gov, the state's official voter registration portal, or by submitting a paper Florida Voter Registration Application available at the Supervisor of Elections office, public libraries, driver license offices, and City Hall. The registration deadline is 29 days before any election. Florida requires photo and signature identification; acceptable forms include a Florida driver license, Florida ID card, U.S. Passport, debit or credit card, military ID, student ID, retirement center ID, neighborhood association ID, or public assistance ID. First-time voters who registered by mail and did not provide ID must bring identification to their polling place. Voters can verify their registration status, check sample ballots, and update their address at www.voteindianriver.gov. The City of Sebastian holds municipal elections for Mayor and City Council on a staggered schedule. The mayor and four council members serve three-year terms, with elections held in November of odd-numbered years. Candidate qualifying typically occurs in July through August, and the Supervisor of Elections provides candidate lists, campaign finance reports, and local ballot measures on their website. Municipal elections here are nonpartisan; all city races proceed without party labels. Finding your assigned polling place requires visiting www.voteindianriver.gov and using the "Find My Precinct" tool, which requires entering your name and date of birth or street address. The Supervisor of Elections mails a voter information card to all registered voters before each election showing the assigned precinct location. Several regular polling locations serve the city including Sebastian River High School, Riverview Park Recreation Center, and Pelican Island Elementary School, though assignments vary by residential address. Early voting is available at multiple sites countywide, typically including the main Supervisor of Elections office and designated libraries or community centers, for 10-14 days before Election Day with extended weekday and weekend hours. Under Florida Statutes Chapter 97 and Chapter 119, most election records are public. The voter registration database is accessible to political parties, candidates, and committees for electoral purposes, showing registered voter names, addresses, party affiliation, voting history (which elections participated in, not how they voted), and registration date. Campaign finance reports are filed with the Supervisor of Elections for county and municipal races and are available online showing contributions and expenditures. State-level campaign finance is searchable at dos.fl.gov/elections. Candidate qualifying documents, ballot language, and precinct-level election results are all public records available from the Supervisor of Elections. The county has historically leaned Republican in federal and state races. While no U.S.Current federal, state, and local election schedules, ballot contests, candidate filings, and certified results for Sebastian voters are published by the Florida Division of Elections (https://dos.fl.gov/elections/). School Board seats for Districts 2 and 4 will also be decided. No municipal Sebastian elections occur in 2026 due to the city's odd-year election schedule. Judicial retention for Circuit and County Court judges may also appear on the ballot. Florida voters may request a vote-by-mail ballot (absentee ballot) online at www.voteindianriver.gov, by phone at (772) 226-3440, by mail, or in person at the Supervisor of Elections office. Requests are valid for two general election cycles. Vote-by-mail ballots are mailed beginning 40 days before Election Day and must be returned by 7:00 PM on Election Day either by mail (postmark does not count; must be received by 7:00 PM), at a secure drop box at the Supervisor of Elections office or early voting sites, or at any polling place on Election Day. Florida requires voters to provide photo ID when requesting a mail ballot for the first time and requires signature verification on the return envelope, which is matched against the voter's registration signature.