Public Records Request Policy

This page explains how you can request copies of public records from the St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections.

What records can I request?

Florida has a broad public records law. Most documents are open to inspection and copying, including most records related to elections and voting. We will make our best effort to provide, or direct you to, existing records that are available.

Chapter 119 provides a right of access to records this office has made or received. It does not require an agency to create a record that does not exist, or to compile information not routinely developed or maintained.

Some information is confidential or exempt from disclosure. If you request a record that contains confidential or exempt information, we will redact only the confidential or exempt portion and provide you the remainder.

Confidential or exempt information includes:

Voters’ driver license, identification card, or Social Security numbers
Records for pre-registered voters
Information about where a voter registered
Identifying information of persons in high-risk professions, and of victims of certain crimes
Information relating to critical infrastructure
Agency cybersecurity information, including network schematics and hardware and software configurations
Trade secrets held by an agency
Certain information relating to deceased voters
Voter signatures, which may be viewed but not copied
Vote-by-mail ballot request information, which may be provided only to certain persons and organizations, and only during specified periods of each election cycle

How can I request records?

You can submit a public records request in person, by telephone, or in writing. You are not required to submit your request in writing, and you are not required to state your name or your reason for requesting the records.

The easiest way is through our online public records portal:
stluciecountysoefl.nextrequest.com

Please provide as much detail as you can. That information helps us identify the records you want, and a well-described request is usually faster and less expensive to fulfill.

Are there any fees?

Copies and materials

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

Item	Charge
One-sided photocopy, up to 8½ x 14 inches	$0.10 per page
Two-sided photocopy, up to 8½ x 14 inches	$0.15 per page
Certified copy of a public record	$1.00 each
All other copies	Actual cost of duplication

If you request a very large volume of electronic records, we will charge you for the cost of a flash drive or other storage device. If you ask that records be mailed to you, we will charge you the cost of postage.

We will waive these charges if the total cost of copies, materials and postage is less than $1.00.

Staff time

The first 30 minutes of staff time spent on your request is free.

Beyond that, if the nature or volume of the records you have requested requires extensive clerical or supervisory assistance, or extensive use of information technology resources, we will charge a special service charge for the labor actually involved in fulfilling your request. The charge is based on the salary and benefits of the lowest-paid employee capable of performing the work, and on the time actually spent.

Chargeable time may include locating the records, retrieving and organizing them, copying them, reviewing them for confidential and exempt information, and redacting that information.

Classification	Hourly rate
Management employee	$52.50 per hour
Regular employee	$31.00 per hour
Seasonal employee	$18.50 per hour

Not every request carries a special service charge. Whether one applies depends on the nature and volume of the particular request, and we make that determination request by request.

How will you process my request?

If you submit your request through our online portal, you will receive an automatic email acknowledgment as soon as the request is entered, confirming that we have received it. If you make your request in person or by telephone, we will acknowledge it promptly.

We will work to produce responsive records within 10 business days when possible. Some requests take longer — particularly during an election period, or where the records are voluminous, stored off site, or require review and redaction before release. Where that is the case, we will tell you and give you a date.

Where a charge will apply, we will provide you a written, itemized estimate before we begin the work. We may ask you questions so that we can identify the records you are seeking.

If there is no cost

If we estimate that there is no cost, we will locate and copy the records, redact any confidential or exempt information, and provide the copies to you.

If there is a cost

If we estimate a cost, we will send you a written, itemized estimate. You may agree to pay it, or we can work with you to narrow the request so that it costs less. You will have 7 business days to respond. If we do not hear from you in that time, we will consider the request abandoned and close it. You are free to submit a new request at any time.

Once we receive payment based on the estimate, we will begin the work, and the 10-business-day target described above runs from that point. When the work is complete we will tell you the final cost, which may differ from the estimate:

If the final cost is less than your payment, we will refund the difference and provide the records.
If the final cost is more than your payment, we will send you an invoice for the balance and provide the records once it is paid.

How will I receive the records?

If the records are electronic, we will provide them through our records portal, or by a download link. If the files are too large, we will provide them on a flash drive or other storage device.

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

If you wish to inspect records in person, we will work with you to schedule a time to review them at our office.

Many records are already published on this website. If the records you have requested are among them, we will direct you to where they are located.

Who do I contact with questions?

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

Sherrie Williams
Custodian of Public Records
St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections
4132 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34947
Telephone: (772) 462-1500
Email: [email protected]

Public Record Request Policy