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Am I registered to vote? How to check and sign up before the deadline

Updated  September 29, 2020 5:21pm EDT
2020 Election
FOX 35 Orlando
article

Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images

ORLANDO, Fla. - The deadline to register to vote is coming up in Florida.

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?

You can find out if you are registered to vote on the Florida Department of State website. 

You can enter your first name, last name, and birth date into the database.

If you are registered to vote, it will tell you your voter identification number, date of registration, party affiliation, voter status, and the county you are registered in.

If you are not registered to vote, no record of your voter registration will be presented. 

IF NOT, WHERE TO REGISTER TO VOTE

You can register to vote directly on the Florida Department of State website as well.

To be eligible to register to vote, you must:

  • Be a citizen of the United States of America;
  • Be a legal resident of Florida;
  • Be a legal resident of the county in which you seek to be registered;
  • Be at least 16 years old to preregister or at least 18 years old to register and vote;
  • Not be a person who has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored; and,
  • Not be a person convicted of a felony without having your right to vote restored.

To submit an application, you will need:

  • A Florida driver license or a Florida identification card issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles.
  • The issued date of your choice of identification.
  • The last four digits of your social security number. 

If you do not have the information above, you can still use the online system to prefill a voter registration application form. However, you must print, sign, and then mail or deliver the completed voter registration application to your county Supervisor of Elections' office. 

The deadline to register for the 2020 general election is October 5th.

HOW CAN I VOTE?

In Florida, you can vote in-person or through the mail. 

In-person early voting will begin on October 24th and goes until October 31st. The exact dates and hours will vary based on where you live. Election day is on November 3rd. 

Those who want to vote by mail must request an absentee ballot by October 24th. However, it is advised that you request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. Your ballot must be returned in the mail by November 3rd. You can also return the ballot in person at any polling location.

If you chose to vote by mail, please note that the USPS has already warned that it may not be able to handle the surge in mail ballots for the upcoming election due to a high demand in service from voters afraid to venture into public polling centers due to the coronavirus pandemic. They advise that voters return ballots at least 1 week prior to the due date established by state law.

RELATED: 2020 presidential election: Where Trump and Biden stand on key issues, according to their campaigns

If you need further assistance regarding registering to vote or your voter registration, please call the Voter Assistance Hotline at 1-866-308-6739. It operates between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest 2020 election updates.