Register to Vote

You must register before you can vote in an election. Read below for information on how you can register to vote in Florida.

Voter Registration Requirements

To register to vote you must meet these requirements:

  • American citizen
  • Florida resident
  • At least 18 years old.

Pre-Registration

If you are 16 or 17 years old and meet all other requirements, you can pre-register to vote. Follow the instructions below to complete and submit your voter registration application. When you turn 18, your pre-registration will automatically convert to an active registration and we will mail you your voter information card.

Loss of Voting Rights

You can lose your right to register and vote under these conditions:

  • A court judgment of mental incapacitation can remove your right to vote. This is known as being “adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting.” If this happens, your right to vote must then be restored by the court.
  • If you are convicted of a felony, you lose your right to vote. However, with a few exceptions, your right to vote is restored when you complete all terms of your sentence. For additional information visit our Restoration of Voting Rights webpage.

Voter Registration Deadline

You can register to vote at any time. However, to vote in an election you must be registered 29 days before that election.

  • If you are registering online, you must submit the application by the deadline.
  • If you are registering by mail, your application must be postmarked by the deadline.
  • If you are registering in person, your application must be received by our office, or an authorized government office, by the deadline.

You can view the dates for the next election on our Dates and Deadlines page. 

How Do I Register?

You can use any of these options to register to vote.

Register Online

You can register online at RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov, Florida's online voter registration system. You will need your Florida driver's license or ID card, and the last four digits of your Social Security number to register completely online.

If you do not have a Florida Driver's license or ID card, you can use the system to generate a paper voter registration application. You can then print and mail the paper application.

Register to Vote Online

Register by Mail

You can register through the mail by completing a Florida Voter Registration Application - PDF and mailing it to us at P.O. Box 7357, Tallahassee, FL 32314

If you do not have access to a printer, call us at (850) 606-8683 and we will mail you an application.

Register When Getting a Florida Driver's License or ID Card

You can register when you apply for a driver’s license or ID card at the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or the Leon County Tax Collector’s Office.

For further information about driver's licenses and ID cards, please visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website.

What Happens After I Register?

We will enter your information into the Florida Voter Registration System. We check your information to make sure that you are a real person who meets the registration requirements. If there is a problem with your application, we will try to contact you.

Once you are registered, you can use the Check Your Voter Info page to find your current voter registration status and other information.

After we process your application, we will mail you a voter information card. The card lists your party affiliation, where you vote on Election Day, and other information. Review the card to make sure your information is correct. The card cannot be used as ID when you vote in person. Learn more on our Voter Information Card page. 

If you do not receive the card within two weeks, contact us to make sure we have your correct information.

Party Affiliation

You are not required to register with a political party. However, Florida is a “closed primary” election state. The races and candidates that appear on your primary election ballot depend on your party affiliation. You may only vote in a partisan race in a primary election if you are a registered member of that political party. However, there are non-partisan races on the primary ballot. You can vote in these races regardless of your party affiliation. In addition, if all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation, and the winner of the primary will be elected to office, then you can vote in that race regardless of party affiliation. This is known as an “universal primary.”

In a general election, you can vote for any candidates on your ballot, regardless of party affiliation.

You can view a list of political parties on the Division of Elections Political Party webpage.

Public Records

Florida has a very broad public records law. Almost all voter information is a public record including your name, address, date of birth, party affiliation, phone number, and email address.

Some information is protected. Your Social Security number, driver’s license number or state ID card number, and the source of your voter registration application cannot be released. Your signature can be viewed, but not copied.

Whether you voted in an election is also a public record. However, your vote is secret. No one, including election workers, knows who you voted for.

If you or a family member have a high-risk profession or have been the victim of certain crimes, you can request that your information be protected. For more information, please see the Public Records Exemption form - PDF.

Public information can find its way onto the Internet or websites by individuals or entities that obtain public records from the State. Once information is in the public domain, you will need to contact the owner or administrator of third-party sites in order to get the information removed.