Secretary Detzner Announces Upcoming February 16 Voter Registration Deadline for the Presidential Preference Primary

Tallahassee –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner released the following statement prior to the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary on March 15, 2016:

“I am encouraging all eligible voters to ‘Get Ready. Get Set. Vote!’ and participate in the 2016 elections,” said Secretary Detzner. “Registering to vote is the first step to getting involved and Florida voters have until February 16 to register to vote in the March 15 Presidential Preference Primary.”

Floridians have several options to exercise their right to vote – vote by mail (absentee), vote during early voting, or vote at the polls on Election Day. Voters are encouraged to double check their voter registration information, update their signatures, and be aware of the following deadlines in advance of the Presidential Preference Primary:

• Individuals not registered to vote in the State of Florida must submit a completed voter registration application by Feb. 16 in order to participate in the Presidential Preference Primary.

• Voters who are already registered but want to update their political party affiliation must update their voter registration information by Feb. 16 in order to have the change in effect for the Presidential Preference Primary.

• An update to a voter’s signature for provisional and absentee ballot verification purposes for the Presidential Preference Primary must be submitted no later than the start of the canvassing of absentee ballots, which may start as early as Feb. 29.

• If already registered, Florida voters may update their name and address on their registration at any time by notifying their local Supervisor of Elections. Voters are encouraged to make those updates as soon as possible.

Additional information, including how to contact your local Supervisor of Elections, check your voter registration status, and find upcoming election dates, is available on YourVoteFlorida.com.

###

About ‘Get Ready. Get Set. Vote!’

In 2016, the Department of State is leading an effort to help educate voters through its Get Ready. Get Set. Vote! campaign which provides key voting-related information and resources in one central location on YourVoteFlorida.com. The webpage will be updated to communicate key voter registration and voting information throughout the 2016 election cycle and is also available in a Spanish version. 

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; the 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/.