Secretary Detzner Shares Voter Registration Tips Ahead of October 18 Deadline

Tallahassee –

*UPDATED Wednesday, October 12, 2016*

Secretary of State Ken Detzner released the following statement and shared the following voter registration tips ahead of Florida's October 18 voter registration deadline. Individuals not already registered to vote in the State of Florida must submit a complete voter registration application by 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 18, in order to participate in the General Election.

Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, said, “There is still time for Floridians to register to vote for the General Election. Floridians who have been impacted, or have had to evacuate, during Hurricane Matthew should know they have the option to fill out and/or submit their voter registration application at any Supervisor of Elections office or approved voter registration agency, even if it’s outside their county of residence. Voter registration applications sent by mail to any Supervisor of Elections office, voter registration agency, or the Division of Elections in Tallahassee will be accepted for the upcoming General Election as long as they are postmarked by October 18.

“Voters who are unsure of their registration status can visit YourVoteFlorida.com and find links to use the state’s Voter Information Lookup Tool or contact their local Supervisor of Elections office. Voters can also call the state’s main Voter Assistance Hotline at: 1.866.308.6739.”

Secretary Detzner is sharing the following tips with Floridians ahead of the upcoming October 18 deadline to register to vote for the General Election:

• If you are unsure of your voter registration status in Florida, check your status using the state’s Voter Information Lookup Tool. You can also call your local Supervisor of Elections office or the state’s main Voter Assistance Hotline at: 1.866.308.6739.

• Fill out the Florida Voter Registration Application, which is available in both English and Spanish (English PDF/ Español PDF), on the Division of Elections' website. Print, sign and mail, or hand deliver, the application to a county Supervisor of Elections office, voter registration agency, or the Florida Division of Elections in Tallahassee. Voter registration applications sent by mail and post-marked by October 18 will be accepted.

• Apply through any Florida driver's license office or tax collector's office that issues driver's licenses or Florida identification cards; any "voter registration agency" (i.e., any government entity designated by the National Voter Registration Act or state law who must allow you to apply to register, which includes libraries); any supervisor of elections office; or at the Division of Elections in Tallahassee.

• An update to a voter’s signature for the General Election must be submitted no later than the start of the canvassing of vote-by-mail ballots (formerly absentee ballots*), which may start as early as October 24, 2016. Signatures on record are used to verify signatures on ballot certificates before counting provisional and vote-by-mail ballots.

Florida voters may register to vote or update their registration at any time by notifying their local Supervisor of Elections. Additional information is available on YourVoteFlorida.com.

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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/.

*Pursuant to Chapter 2016-37, Laws of Florida, beginning July 1, 2016 the term “Absentee Ballot” has changed to “Vote-by-Mail Ballot” in the State of Florida.