Monday, September 29, 2014

How to Vote in Florida



This week, the blog is taking a departure from our usual hair talk to share information that we feel is incredibly important. One of the biggest ways to effect positive change in our communities is to vote. Get your voice heard! We just wanted to take a moment to share with you some key information on how to get registered so that you can influence what happens in your local community.

In order to register to vote in Florida, you must:

  1. Be a Citizen of the United States of America (a lawful permanent resident is not a U.S. citizen);
  2. Be a Florida resident;
  3. 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).
  4. Not now be adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored;
  5. Not have been convicted of a felony without your civil rights having been restored; and
  6. 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.

Voter Registration Process:

  1. Fill in the Voter Registration Application online. 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.***

The deadline to register for the 2014 November midterm elections is only a week away! You have until October 6 to send in your application! Please, get out and vote!

For additional information on the voter registration process, click here.
To check your registration status, click here.
For further information, such as absentee voting, early voting, and what offices will be up for election, click here.

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