What You Need to Vote in Florida Elections
Early registration, identification and provisional ballots in Florida
By Doug Mentes, Esq. | Reviewed by Canaan Suitt, J.D.Use these links to jump to different sections:
- Florida’s Voter Registration Requirements
- Requesting a Vote-by-Mail Ballot
- Pre-Registering to Vote in Florida
- Updating Your Voter Information
- Bring Proper Identification to the Polls
- What Happens When Denied Your Right to Vote?
- Can My Registration Be Purged?
- Seek Further Legal Help
Voting in Florida requires planning. The state has a very early voter registration deadline: 29 days before an election (as a point of reference, 20 states and the District of Columbia currently allow election-day registration). This means that Florida’s voter registration deadline for the November 5th general election is October 7, 2024.
Florida’s Voter Registration Requirements
The first step to voting is making sure you’re registered. Under Florida statutes, you can’t vote on Election Day unless you have previously registered. Voters must be at least 18 years old and legal residents of the U.S., the state of Florida, and the county in which they will vote.
Use the Florida voter information look-up website to see if you are registered.
Requesting a Vote-by-Mail Ballot
Early voting is possible through a vote-by-mail ballot, which you must request from the election office no later than 5 p.m. on the 12th day before the election.
Pre-Registering to Vote in Florida
Florida residents can register to vote as early as age 16 through pre-registration. If you pre-register, your voter registration will become active once you turn 18.
Pre-registration is key for young voters turning 18 between the voter registration deadline and the election date. For example, say you want to vote in the 2024 general election, but your 18th birthday is on October 8th—that’s one day past the 2024 registration deadline of October 7th. If you don’t pre-register, you’ll miss the deadline and be barred from voting. But if you do pre-register, your voter registration will become active on October 8th when you turn 18, and you’ll be eligible to vote in the general election on Tuesday, November 5th.
Updating Your Voter Information
If you’re already registered but need to update your address, you can submit a change through the online voter registration website or by contacting their county supervisor of elections. If not registered, voters can register online or fill out a voter registration application and file it with their county supervisor of elections. Voters must ensure they update their information well before the election to avoid complications or their vote being denied by election officials.
Bring Proper Identification to the Polls
Florida is a voter-ID law state. The state requires a photo ID with a signature to vote at the polling place. Under Florida law, the state accepts at least 12 different forms of ID, including:
- 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 ID card
- Retirement center identification
- Neighborhood association identification
- Public assistance identification
- Veteran health identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
- License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm
- Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality
If the voter’s picture identification does not contain a signature, the election official will ask for an additional form of ID with the voter’s signature.
What Happens When Denied Your Right to Vote?
Under Florida law, if a voter does not furnish an acceptable form of ID or is denied the right to vote in any way, the voter is entitled to a provisional ballot from an election official at the polling place. The provisional ballot allows the voter to vote until their eligibility can be determined. If more information is required to verify a voter’s right to vote, the voter will be given up to 5 p.m. on the second day after the election to produce the necessary information.
The county canvassing board will examine each provisional ballot to determine if the person voting that ballot was entitled to vote at the precinct where the person cast a vote in the election. A ballot of a person casting a provisional ballot shall be counted unless the canvassing board determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the person was not entitled to vote.
Can My Registration Be Purged?
Yes, Florida voters can be removed from the voting rolls under certain circumstances. If a Florida voter moves out of state and registers to vote in their new state, the Florida elections supervisor will remove that person from the voting rolls.
Inactive voters may also be removed from the voter registration roll. An inactive voter is a voter who has not registered or voted in two subsequent general elections (general elections occur every two years). If the voter does not respond to an address confirmation postcard the state sends, the voter is removed. Otherwise, a voter may be removed if found ineligible to vote. The voter must file a new voter registration application to restore the right to vote.
Seek Further Legal Help
If a voter or group of voters has issues with interference with their right to vote, they should seek the advice of an experienced Florida election law attorney. For more information on this area of law, see our civil rights overview.
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