If you want to help your friends, family and neighbors with voter registration, here are the top three things you need to know first:

(1) You CANNOT collect or handle paper voter registration forms from anyone except your spouse, child, or parent. Collecting a voter registration application, even from a friend, makes you a third-party voter registration organization, which means you would be subject to complicated rules and heavy fines for not following the rules.

(But keep reading: there are other ways you can help!)

(2) To register to vote, a person must meet ALL of these criteria:

• U.S. Citizen (green card holders cannot register)
• At least 18 years old (16 & 17 year-olds can pre-register)
• Florida resident
• Not adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting OR has had voting rights restored
• Not convicted of a felony OR has had voting rights restored

(3) The DEADLINE to register to vote is 29 days before Election Day. Upcoming registration deadlines for 2024 are July 22, 2024 for the August Primary and October 7, 2024 for the November General Election.

Now let’s look at the ways you can help!

Help People Register to Vote Online

RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov

This is the #1 best way to help your friends, family and community with voter registration, if they have a Florida Driver License or a Florida ID Card issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. No matter where in Florida someone lives, they can use RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov to register or update their registration.

The applicant can visit this website on their own phone or computer, or you can let them use your phone, tablet or computer! The system will walk them through all the steps to register to vote. Click here to download a printable outreach flyer about online voter registration.

An applicant registering online will need: Florida Driver License or State of Florida ID card number, date of issuance, and the last 4 digits of their Social Security Number.

Help People Who Don’t Have a Florida Driver License or Florida ID Card Register in Person or by Mail

Paper Voter Registration Application

When registering using a paper form in person or by mail, voters who do not have a Florida Driver License or a Florida ID Card can use the last 4 digits of their Social Security Number instead.

Eligible voters can fill out a paper voter registration application and mail it

• to their county Supervisor of Elections, OR
• to the Florida Division of Elections: Div. of Elections, R.A. Gray Building, Room 316, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399

You can print BLANK voter registration applications (English PDF / Español PDF) to support your fellow Floridians, but remember: you cannot collect or handle a paper voter registration form after you give it to the applicant. 

Applicants must directly turn in or mail their forms to the elections office themselves, or the applicant can drop it off at a public library or one of the government offices listed below that accept voter registration applications.

Note: You may not mail or otherwise provide a voter registration application upon which any information about an applicant has been filled in before it is provided to the applicant.

There are many government offices where Floridians can register to vote in person OR drop off their own completed voter registration form

• All public libraries (including county and municipal libraries)
• Any county Supervisor of Elections office (let the office staff know if you are dropping off at a different county from where you live) 
• All Florida Driver License offices (including county tax collector’s offices that issue driver licenses or Florida ID cards)
• Government offices that provide public assistance (ex: food stamps, Medicaid, TANF, and WIC) 
• Government offices that serve persons with disabilities (ex: Department of Education’s Division of Blind Services, centers for independent living, disability offices at public universities)
• Any military recruitment office

Key points for filling out a paper voter registration application form

• Use blue or black pen (no pencil, no other pen colors)
• Lines 1-6 and Line 15 MUST be completed for the form to be processed
• Print plainly and clearly
• The applicant must SIGN and DATE the form 

Click here for a detailed tip sheet to help people fill out the form! 

Be careful! If you collect a paper voter registration form, you are REQUIRED to register as a 3rd party voter registration organization and may be subject to significant fines. 

Help People Get ID

Having a Florida Driver License or a State of Florida ID Card makes it easier to register and easier to vote!

VoteRiders provides free assistance in English and Spanish to help people get the ID they need to register and vote. Call or text their helpline at 866-ID-2-VOTE (866-432-8683) or email them at helpline@voteriders.org. 

Some Floridians are eligible to apply for a free State of Florida ID Card from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or their county tax collector’s office:

• Individuals who have income at or below the Federal Poverty level.
• Individuals who are homeless (ID will be marked general delivery).
• Individuals who are receiving SNAP/EBT benefits. 
• Veterans can obtain a State of Florida ID Card at the cost of $1.

To find the closest office that issues ID, visit www.flhsmv.gov/locations/. Please note that you will need to provide documentation of eligibility and that many offices require appointments. 

Eligibility Questions

If someone isn’t sure about their voting eligibility because of a past felony conviction, support is available. You should never try to advise them yourself about whether or not they are eligible to vote. Instead, you can refer them to one of these resources:

• The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition has resources available for individuals with questions about eligibility due to a past conviction. You can download FRRC’s Voting Eligibility Checklist for Returning Citizens, which can help guide individuals through the general process to determine their own eligibility. FRRC also seeks to connect returning citizens with pro-bono attorneys who will petition the court for a modification of the financial obligations (e.g. fines, fees, or court costs) that are preventing the returning citizen from being eligible to vote. To apply for assistance, visit https://floridarrc.com/fines-program/.
• The Campaign Legal Center has an interactive online tool at campaignlegal.org/restoreyourvote that allows individuals with a past felony conviction to assess their eligibility by answering a series of simple questions.
• The League of Women Voters of Florida refers individuals to lawyers who can provide free support to review their sentencing history and see what needs to be done to allow them to vote. To request a referral, applicants can call 407-710-5496 or email canivote@lwvfl.org.
• Individuals who are confused about their voting eligibility can contact the Division of Elections at DivElections@dos.myflorida.com to request an advisory opinion on whether or not they are eligible to register and vote.

It is illegal to submit false information on a voter registration application! Never encourage someone to register if they do not think they are eligible.

DISCLAIMER: We are not a law firm, and cannot provide legal advice. Our role is to help individuals understand the law governing their right to vote and direct them to the resources they will need to determine their voting eligibility. We do not have the legal authority to tell an individual whether or not they are eligible to vote.

 

What You Can & Can’t Do

Take Action!

Check out these resources if you want to help your friends and family with voter registration.

Online Voter Registration Flyer

Paper Voter Registration Application

Voter Registration Tip Sheet

Voter Registration Activity Guide: What You Can & Can’t Do

For more information about voting in Florida visit KeepFloridaVoting.org

Disclaimers:

• This guide is for information and education purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
• This guide does NOT apply to third-party voter registration organizations.