@Call_Me_Jay When I looked up Florida rules for counting mail-in a few months ago, the rule was they waited until election Day, and in fact my vote in August did not show counted until the day after Election Day, even though I had walked it into the early voting location a week before, and it showed received a day after that.
I noticed about a month ago, that the rule was changed to counting 22 days before the election. I’m very glad they changed it. Mostly, I am glad so the poll workers don’t have horrible pressure on them to count everything in one day. It also gives a sense of assuredness to the voter that their vote is counted and doesn’t need to worry about their ballot being set aside for a signature problem or something else. Signature problems are allowed to be cleared up after the fact, but there are deadlines.
I don’t know if all states you can look up your vote was counted? My parents received an email in their state, MD that their ballot was received. In FL we see online the ballot was Requested, Sent, Received, and Counted. Each category gets highlighted when it occurs.
I give credit to whoever changed the rules in Florida. It might just be a temporary covid change, I don’t know. I hope they keep it this way ongoing. No reason not to count a vote once it is cast.
I think Florida has other weird rules like an early vote counts even if the person dies before Election Day. Once the vote is cast it counts, including a postmark that signifies the person was alive the day they voted. It makes sense to me, but I think some states have laws not to count those votes. How does that work?