President Donald Trump plans to announce a tariff on steel and aluminum Monday, and key election dates are approaching across Central Florida

Trump implements 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, cracks down on exceptions

President Donald Trump on Monday followed through on his recent pledge to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, cracking down on exemptions that were in place as he continues to make levies on foreign countries a central part of his trade and economic agenda.

“It’s a big deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he signed the steel proclamation. “This is the beginning of making America rich again.”

The proclamations signed by the president on Monday extend and build upon those he imposed in 2018, White House officials told reporters. The new actions raise the tariffs on aluminum from the 10% he imposed in his first term to 25% and seek to eliminate product exclusions, alternative arrangements and exemptions from levies on imports that White House officials said were abused by other countries over the previous administration. 

“We were being pummeled by both friend and foe alike,” Trump said, adding that Monday’s actions will help spark a “resurgence of U.S. manufacturing and production” as he looks to bolster domestic manufacturing. 

The new proclamations will also put in place new "melt and poured" standard for steel and "smelt and cast" standard for aluminum in North America in what White House officials said was a bid to prevent countries such as China and Russia from using those such as Mexico and Canada to get the metals into the U.S. The president also expanded the steel tariffs to include downstream products in what the White House officials said was an effort to close loopholes. 

“It’s 25% without exceptions or exemptions and that’s all countries, no matter where it comes from,” Trump stressed.

The four biggest sources of steel imports are Canada, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, billionaire Howard Lutnick, joined the president in the Oval Office for the signing, claiming that the strengthened tariffs would bring 120,000 jobs back to the United States. It wasn't clear how he reached that number. The primary metals industry added roughly 14,000 jobs during the first 12 months the steel and aluminum tariffs were originally imposed, though gains were quickly erased by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Trump first told reporters he was set to implement the 25% tariffs on Air Force One over the weekend. He also said he will be announcing “reciprocal tariffs” this week on countries with similar policies on certain U.S. goods and industries. 

Local election leaders propose changes to state law regarding vote-by-mail ballots

On Friday, Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays said he’s pushing for efforts to change a state law that requires voters to renew their vote by mail requests. He is part of a group requesting consideration from the Legislature.

Voter outreach organizations and election leaders say the proposal could make voters’ lives easier.

All vote-by-mail ballot requests expired after the November election due to a provision in Senate Bill 90 that was passed and signed into law in 2021.

Local election officials have noted a decrease in new vote-by-mail applications that they attribute to a lack of knowledge of the law’s impacts on the part of the electorate.

That’s why leaders are pushing for a change. 

“We’re really surprised by who doesn’t know, right, so every time we have a chance, every time we are in public, every time we have a meeting, we are saying have you renewed your vote by mail request,” said Kathy Schmitz, president of the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

In the 2024 general election last November, Lake County had more than 14,000 requests for vote-by-mail ballots in Congressional District 6. 

But in a recent January special election, the SOE’s office only mailed out 3,300 in the same district.

“So, there’s 11,000 people who had gotten a vote-by-mail ballot in November, and then in December their request expired,” Schmitz said.

Schmitz says her mission is to empower voters.

The law also shortened the length of time that vote-by-mail ballot requests remain in force to two years, down from four.

“There’s no reason for it to expire after two years," she said. "That just adds another barrier for our voters, and we’re all about removing barriers to voting."

Schmitz said letting voters know about the change is a huge part of their messaging.

“They’re confused about why the Legislature would make it harder for people to vote," she said. "Vote-by-mail is a really convenient way to vote. It’s secure and safe and it ensures that people who have really busy lives and aren’t always available on a Tuesday, can vote."

In Lake County, voters use return envelopes to send their ballots back to the supervisor of elections office.

“We, as an association of supervisors, are asking the Legislature to allow us to use a checked box like this one right here, that would indicate to us that the voter wants to renew their request for vote by mail ballot,” Hays said.

He said the check box would make it easier on voters and SOE staff, if allowed. He says in past years, voters could keep getting mail ballots every four years, as long as they checked this box.

“Right now, every two years they have to renew it, and the checked box there is not legal now,” said Hays.

Both Hays and Schmitz hope legislators make a change.

Hays said for the most recent election, his office mailed a postcard to voters in Congressional District 6 that their vote by mail requests had expired for the 2025 election cycle and they should renew it.

Upcoming election dates to know

There are some upcoming elections dates to keep in mind.

Flagler County has an election on March 4. Voter registration is closed already for that.

Orange, Pinellas, and Manatee counties are having elections on March 11, and the registration deadline is Monday.

Polk County has an election on April 1, and voters must register by March 3.

And April 8 is Pasco County’s election, registration ends on March 10.

As a reminder, voters have to request mail-in ballots for each election cycle, instead of every two.

Voters can make that request in writing by using a special form, in person, or by phone.

Requests for a vote-by-mail ballot must be made no later than 5 p.m. 12 days before any election.