National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating our democracy. According to U.S. Census data from 2020, as many as 1 in 4 eligible Americans are not registered to vote. Every year, millions of Americans find themselves unable to vote because they miss a registration deadline, don’t update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register. National Voter Registration Day wants to make sure everyone has the opportunity to vote. First observed in 2012, it has quickly gained momentum ever since. Nearly 4.7 million voters have registered to vote on the holiday to date!
Voting Eligibility
To be eligible to register and vote in Alachua County, Florida, you must be:
- 18 years of age (A person may pre-register on or after their 16th birthday, but must be 18 to vote.)
- a citizen of the United States
- a legal resident of Florida
- a legal resident of Alachua County
Dates & Deadlines
The deadline to register to vote is 29 days before any election. You can update your registration record at any time, but for a Primary Election, party changes must be completed 29 days before that election. This year's general election will take place on November 8, making the deadline to register October 11. If you would like to participate during the early voting period, you will need to register by the end of September. Your Voter Information Card will be mailed to you once you are registered!
The deadline to request that a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed is no later than 5 p.m. on October 29, 10 days before the election. A vote-by-mail ballot must be returned and received by the Supervisor of Elections no later than 7 p.m. on election day in order to be counted.
How to Register
Online
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Register to vote or update your registration by visiting RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov. To submit an online application you will need:
- Your FL driver license or FL identification card issued by the FL Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles
- The issued date of your FL driver license or FL ID card
- The last four digits of your Social Security Number.
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If you do not have any of this information, you may still use the online system to prefill a voter registration application form. However, you will have to print, sign, and then mail or deliver your completed voter registration application to the county Supervisor of Elections' office or your local library branch
Download
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You can download the Florida Voter Registration Application (English PDF | Español PDF) and fill it out at home. You can mail or deliver your application to the Supervisor of Elections' office directly or drop off your application at your local library branch.
Pick-Up
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Pick up a Voter Registration Application Form at locations throughout Alachua County, including your local library branch. You can mail or deliver your application to the Supervisor of Elections' office directly or bring it to the front desk of any branch in the Alachua County Library District.
In Person
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Register to vote or update your registration in person at the library, directly at the Supervisor of Elections' office, or at any designated voter registration agency. You can also do so at any community voter registration drives!
Check Your Information
If you're unsure whether or not you need to update your voter registration for any reason, you can check your current voter registration status through the Florida Department of State's Voter Information Lookup.
Wondering which precinct you'll go to on election day? Find out with the Alachua County Precinct Finder's search tool.
- Special Circumstances
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Individuals convicted of a felony now regain their right to vote upon completion of all the terms of their sentence – including prison, parole, probation, and repayment of restitution or fines. The one exception is that people convicted of a sex offense or murder permanently can’t vote unless granted a pardon to do so. If you have questions, use the Restore Your Vote tool of the Campaign Legal Center to check your eligibility and get help. Or contact a lawyer or person or organization locally for assistance.
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The Florida Commission on Offender Review has an entire page dedicated to Clemency Application Information. The Voting Restoration Amendment (Amendment 4) restores voting rights to felony offenders, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense, "upon completion of all terms of sentence including parole or probation." You can find more information about eligibility to vote on the Division of Elections website.
- Yes, persons experiencing homelessness can register and vote in all 50 states. It is recommended homeless registrants list a shelter address as their voting address where they could receive mail. Alternatively, homeless registrants may denote a street corner or a park as their residence, in lieu of a traditional home address. The federal voter registration form and many state forms provide a space for this purpose.
- Most states have some duration of residency requirements for voter registration – for example, having resided for 30 days or more before the Election Day in the state or county. Contact your local elections officials to find out what the rules are in your state.
- For further information about registration and voting, The National Coalition for the Homeless provides extensive information. Follow the links below to learn more:
- Address Confidentiality Programs (ACP) and Confidential Voter Listings are programs administered by the state that enable survivors of domestic violence (and sometimes victims of sexual assault and/or stalking) to vote without fear of being found by their abusers by providing a substitute address for all public records. Confidential Voter Listings only provide confidentiality on election-related public records.
- The National Network to End Domestic Violence provides a list of currently available programs. For more information on ACPs and Confidential Voter Listings in your state, contact your local elections officials.
- National Organizations
- The American Association of People with Disabilities has a REV UP the Vote Program which fosters civic engagement and protects the voting rights of Americans with disabilities.
- The National Disability Rights Network offers news, assistance, and community connections for voters with disabilities.
- Florida Information
- The Disability Rights - Florida Voting page has information on upcoming elections and initiatives like Access the Vote which support inclusive elections for all.
Voting for Florida Military and Overseas Voters
- The Federal Voting Assistance Program provides voting assistance for Service members, their families, and overseas citizens. The absentee voting process applies to you if you are:
- a U.S. citizen
- at least 18 years old
- absent from your voting residence
- This website walks absentee voters through the process of requesting, filling out, and sending in their ballots and provides information on both state and federal election deadlines.
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- Additional Information
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Types of Identification
According to Florida Statute 101.043, the following forms of identification shall be considered current and valid if they contain the name and photograph of the applicant and have not expired:
- Florida Driver's License
- Florida ID Card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- United States Passport
- Debit or Credit Card
- Military ID
- Student ID
- Retirement Center ID
- Neighborhood Association ID
- Public Assistance ID (Social Security or other social services)
- Veteran Health ID issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
- A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to S. 790.06.
- Employee ID issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality.
If you vote at the polls, and cannot show picture and signature identification, you must vote a provisional ballot.
First Time Voters
If you registered by mail and are a first time voter in Florida and you have not been issued a current and valid Florida driver’s license, Florida identification card, or social security number, you must provide a copy of a current and valid identification. If you requested an absentee ballot, and have not provided the required identification, you must include a copy of the required identification with your returned absentee ballot.
You are exempt from this requirement if you meet any of the following:
- 65 Years of age or older
- Permanent or temporary physical disability
- Members of the uniformed service on active duty who are absent from the county on election day
- Members of the merchant marine who are absent from the county on election day
- Spouse or dependent of member, who is accompanying member
- Overseas citizen eligible to vote in Florida