Florida Politic

If you want to vote in the Florida Primary Election and/or the General Election and haven’t already registered, you better register soon. The registration deadline to vote in the Primary Election is coming up fast and the registration deadline to vote in the General Election follows. You will also need to know how to register and also what to bring when you vote on election days.

Here’s your definitive guide from Florida Politic:

Deadlines:

• The deadline to register to vote for the August 14, 2012 Primary Election is Monday July 16, 2012.

• The deadline to register to vote in the November 6, 2012 General Election is October 9, 2012.

Your Registration Date:

For new applicants, your registration date is the date your completed application is postmarked or hand delivered to any Supervisor of Elections’ office in the state, a driver’s license office, a voter registration agency, including an armed forced recruitment office, public library, or the Division of Elections.

How To Register To Vote In Florida:

1. Fill out the Voter Registration Application online (click here for Spanish version). If you wish, you can print the application and write your information in with a black ballpoint pen.
2. Print the application out.
3. Verify that all of the information on your application is complete. The office where you register, your decision not to register, your Social Security Number, your Florida driver’s license number and your Florida identification card number will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes.
4. Sign your application. The application requires an original signature because you are swearing or affirming to an oath.
5. Place the application in an envelope with a first class stamp.
6. Mail the application to your county Supervisor of Elections. You may also opt to mail or hand deliver the application to any Supervisor of Elections’ office in the state, a driver’s license office, a voter registration agency including an armed forces recruitment office, public library, or the Division of Elections.
7. If your application is complete and you qualify as a voter, the Supervisor of Elections will mail you a voter information card as official notification that you are registered to vote. Make sure all of the information on your card is correct. If you do not receive your card within 2 weeks, or if you have any questions, call your Supervisor of Elections.
8. You must be registered for at least 29 days before you can vote in an election.

If the information on the application is not true, the applicant can be convicted of a felony of the third degree and fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 5 years.

When You Can Vote:

You must be registered for at least 29 days before you can vote in an election. Since Florida is a closed primary state, only voters who are registered members of a political parties may vote for their respective party’s candidates in a primary election. Voters without party affiliation are not eligible to vote for party candidates in a primary election. However, a constitutional amendment adopted in 1998 states that IF all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general election, all qualified voters, regardless of party affiliation, may vote in the primary election for that office. Party changes must be made by the end of the 29th day before the Primary Election. If you are not registered to vote in the political party for which the primary election is being held, you may vote for nonpartisan candidates and issues.

In Order To Register To Vote In Florida, You Must:

• Be a Citizen of the United States of America (a lawful permanent resident is not a U.S. citizen);

• Be a Florida resident;

• Be 18 years old (you may pre-register to vote if you are 16 years old, but you cannot vote until you are 18 years old).

• Not now be adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored;

• Not have been convicted of a felony without your civil rights having been restored; and

• Provide your current and valid Florida driver’s license number or Florida identification card number. If you do not have a Florida driver’s license number or a Florida identification card number then you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you do not have any of these items, you must write “none” in the box or field.

Voting At The Polls:

On Election Day, the polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. and are normally less busy during the mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

If you do not know the location of your polling place, contact your Supervisor of Elections. Also, Supervisors of Elections have precinct and polling place finders on their web sites to provide you with the information on where to vote.

At the polls, you will be asked to provide a valid picture identification with signature. The following photo ids will be accepted:

• Florida driver’s license

• Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

• United States passport

• Debit or credit card

• Military identification

• Student identification

• Retirement center identification

• Neighborhood association identification

• Public assistance identification.

If your photo identification does not contain your signature, you will be asked to provide an additional identification that includes a signature.

If you do not have the proper identification, you will be provided with a provisional ballot. Your provisional ballot will count if the signature on the provisional ballot envelope matches the signature on your voter registration application.

All Information From: Florida Division Of Elections – Please Visit Their Website for Additional Information

For Local Supervisor Of Elections Locations And Contact Information: Find Your Supervisor Of Elections Map