Secretary Detzner Recognizes National Voter Registration Day in Florida

~Encourages eligible Floridians to register to vote in the upcoming General Election by the voter registration deadline on October 9~

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner recognizes today, September 25, as National Voter Registration Day in Florida and reminds Floridians that the deadline for registering to vote in the upcoming General Election is Tuesday, October 9.

“National Voter Registration Day is a great opportunity for eligible Floridians to register to vote or make sure their current voter registration information is up-to-date,” said Secretary Detzner. “The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming General Election is October 9. You can find resources and information to help you Get Ready. Get Set. Vote! at YourVoteFlorida.com.”

Florida residents can check their current voter registration status by using the Department’s Voter Information Lookup tool. The Voter Information Lookup tool can also be used to find your polling place, obtain your sample ballot and check your vote-by-mail ballot status.

Floridians can register to vote or update their existing registration through the Department’s online voter registration website RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov. Users will need their Florida driver license or Florida identification card and the last four digits of their social security number. In order to verify a user’s identity, the information typed into the online voter registration website must exactly match the information that appears on his or her most recent Florida driver license or state identification card. Florida residents also have the option to use the website to complete, print and sign a paper application that can be mailed or hand-delivered to their local Supervisor of Elections.

In addition to RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov, there are several other ways eligible Floridians can register to vote. Eligible Floridians can apply through:

• Any Supervisor of Elections office;
• Any office, including a tax collector’s office, that issues driver licenses or Florida identification cards;
• The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ online website for renewing a driver license or state identification card; and
• Any voter registration agency such as a public assistance office or public library.

In order to be able to vote in the upcoming General Election, new voter registration applications must be submitted by the October 9 voter registration deadline. Online voter registration applications must be submitted through RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. on October 9. Paper applications must be received by close of business at a Supervisor of Elections’ office or if sent by mail, post-marked by October 9.

The deadline to update a voter’s signature is no later than the start of the canvassing of vote-by-mail ballots. In some counties, canvassing may start as early as October 22. A voter’s current signature is used to determine whether to count a provisional or vote-by-mail ballot. For more information, please contact your local Supervisors of Elections.

The Voter Assistance Hotline is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday. The Department will extend the hours of the Voter Assistance Hotline leading up to the voter registration deadline from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT Saturday, October 6 through Monday, October 8 and from 8 a.m. to midnight on Tuesday, October 9.

Voters who have questions about how to register to vote or who need assistance using RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov can contact the Voter Assistance Hotline at 1-866-308-6739 or OVRsupport@dos.myflorida.com.

All registered voters, regardless of party affiliation or no party affiliation, may exercise their right to vote for candidates and public measures on the General Election ballot. The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.

For more information, please visit the Division of Elections’ website at dos.myflorida.com/elections.

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About the Division of Elections
The Florida Department of State’s Division of Elections supports the Secretary of State, Florida’s chief election officer, in ensuring that Florida has fair and accurate elections. The Division’s three bureaus: Bureau of Election Records, Bureau of Voter Registration Services, and Bureau of Voting Systems Certification, have several responsibilities in the areas of legal compliance and elections administration to ensure that Florida’s election laws are uniformly interpreted and implemented. The Division also assists local Supervisors of Elections in their duties, and promotes enhanced public awareness and participation in the electoral process. For more information about Florida’s elections, visit dos.myflorida.com/elections.