JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With the recent shakeups in the race for the White House, people who have been on the fence about voting might be reconsidering that decision.
Monday is the deadline to register to vote in next month’s primary election for state and local races. President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 race does not affect the August ballot.
But the deadline is a good reminder to make sure you’re registered to vote in the November general election, too. The deadline for that registration is Oct. 7.
To be eligible to vote in Florida:
- You must be a U.S. citizen and a legal resident of Florida. That means you have a home in the state and your address is not just a Post Office box.
- You must also be living in the county you register to vote in.
- 16-year-olds can preregister, but only 18-year-olds or anyone older can actually register and vote
- Also, if you are a person who has been convicted of a felony or has been ruled mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in the state, you must have your voting rights restored before you can vote again.
For those who are eligible to register, Florida has an online system. You can visit registertovoteflorida.gov to register, update your info or even just check to make sure you are registered.
If you just moved or want to change your party affiliation that is also the place to go. You will need to have a state driver’s license or ID card to do that.
If you wish to go in person, that option is available at local public libraries, Tax Collector’s Offices, and the Supervisor of Elections Office.
You just need that license or ID and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
If you have not voted in a while, you might be considered “inactive” because there was information that could not be verified. All you have to do is contact your county supervisor of election office to restore your status to active.