Voting in Florida: Your Ultimate Guide

A thorough look at everything you need to cast a vote in Florida

Ready to participate in the great democratic process? Since voting rules and laws differ from state to state, it’s important to know your local rules. Florida voters, even those impacted by Hurricane Ian, have options 3 weeks out from the election. Voters who have been permanently displaced from their home can re-register and have a ballot sent to the address they're currently at. If you’re residing in temporary housing, such as a shelter, also have solutions available. In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about voting as a citizen of the great Sunshine State.

Things You Should Know

  • Register to vote online. Once you’ve applied you can check your registration status to see if you’re approved to vote.
  • Are you a Florida voter displaced by Hurricane Ian? View Governor DeSantis’ executive order outlining steps you need to take to vote here.
  • You must bring a valid ID with your name, photo, and signature on it to vote in person, and all of that info must match your registration application.
  • As a rule of thumb, all Florida polling places are open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, and early voting takes place 10 to 3 days before elections.


Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Registration

  1. Image titled Florida Voting Step 1
    1
    Fulfill the basic eligibility requirements to vote in Florida. Like any state, Florida has basic eligibility rules for voters. You can register to vote if you meet the following requirements:[1]
    • You’re a citizen of the US and a resident of Florida (you have a permanent address).
    • You’re at least 18 years old (you can pre-register to vote as early as 16, though).
    • You’ve never been convicted of a felony. If you’ve been convicted of any crime, contact your local SOE to confirm your voting rights have been restored, just to be safe.[2]
    • You’ve not been adjudicated mentally incapacitated (in other words, a court hasn’t found you mentally incompetent).[3]
  2. Image titled Florida Voting Step 2
    2
    Go to the Florida Department of State’s registration site to sign up. Confirm that you’re eligible to open the form. Enter your personal information and provide your Florida driver’s license or state ID number alongside your social security number. Move on to the next page, review your information, and submit your application.[4]
    • If you don’t have a social security number or a driver’s license/ID, you’ll just rely on your name and birthdate.
    • This is the same website and application you’ll use to update your voter registration information in the future.
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  3. Image titled Florida Voting Step 3
    3
    Mail in a paper application if the online portal doesn’t work. If you can’t figure out how to submit your application online, print out the application and fill it out manually. Place the application in a stamped envelope and address it to your county’s Supervisor of Elections. You can find your SOE’s address here.[5]
    • You must send the application to the Supervisor of Elections where you live specifically. If you’re a Lee County resident, for example, send it to the Lee County Supervisor of Elections.
    • You can also drop the application off in person if you prefer.
  4. Image titled Florida Voting Step 4
    4
    Register within 29 days of any election you’d like to vote in. Florida puts a 29-day hold on new registrations, so be sure to complete this process at least a month out before the election you want to participate in. You can always check your registration online to see if you’re approved to vote.[6]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Voting in Person

  1. Image titled Florida Voting Step 5
    1
    Find your nearest polling place by checking Florida’s state website. Talk to your boss or teacher ahead of time if you need time off work to vote. Your polling place might be at a school, church, park district, or local community center. You can go to any polling place in your state, but choose whatever spot is most convenient to you.[7]
    • There is no law requiring employers or teachers to give you time off to vote, but most people will try to be amicable about this.[8]
  2. Image titled Florida Voting Step 6
    2
    Bring a valid ID with your photo, name, and signature on it. You must present a valid identification with a name that matches the name on your voter registration application in order to vote in Florida. The ID must also have your photo and signature on it. So long as the ID fulfills those 3 requirements, you can use:[9]
    • Florida driver’s license, ID card, or US passport.
    • Debit or credit card, military ID, or student ID card.
    • Concealed carry card, government ID badge, public assistance ID, or neighborhood association card.
    • Retirement center ID or veteran health ID card.
  3. Image titled Florida Voting Step 7
    3
    Show up between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm on election day and vote. So long as you are in line to vote by 7:00 pm, you’re good to go.[10] Present your ID to the poll worker, enter the booth, and fill in the ovals for each official or ballot initiative you’d like to vote for.[11]
    • Electronic voting with audio and/or touchscreen controls are available if you have a disability or require assistance.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Mail-in Voting (Absentee Voting)

  1. Image titled Florida Voting Step 8
    1
    Find your county’s Supervisor of Elections website. Go to the official Florida Supervisor of Elections directory. Click the county where you live to be transferred to your Supervisor of Elections website.[12]
    • Most counties allow you to request a mail-in ballot via the SOE website.
  2. Image titled Florida Voting Step 9
    2
    Request a mail-in ballot at least 35 days before the election. On your SOE’s website, find the link to request a vote-by-mail ballot and enter your name and address to submit the application. The official timeline mentions doing this at least 10 days before an election, but most counties suggest doing this 35 days before the election to be safe.
    • If your Supervisor of Elections does not have an online form for requesting mail-in ballots, you must call them or email them to request the ballot.
    • In Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota counties, you can request your ballot over the phone.
    • In Florida, you do not need a reason to vote by mail.
  3. Image titled Florida Voting Step 10
    3
    Mail your ballot to your SOE so it arrives before election day. Once your ballot arrives, fill it out by filling in the bubbles. Sign the ballot and then mail it to your Supervisor of Elections. If you want to ensure your ballot doesn’t get lost in the mail, you can drop it off with your SOE office in person. So long as the ballot arrives before 7:00 pm on election day, it’ll be counted.[13]
    • You can check your mail-in ballot’s status online to see if it has been counted or processed yet!
    • If you drop the ballot off in person, you either have to do it yourself, or have a family member drop it off for you with a signed letter explaining they’re allowed to deliver your ballot.
    • You can also drop the ballot off at a polling place on election day or during early voting.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Early Voting

  1. Image titled Florida Voting Step 11
    1
    Find early voting locations 30 days before the election. Visit to the official Florida Supervisor of Elections directory and click on your county to go to your county SOE website. Scan the website to find the polling locations for early voting.[14]
    • Every county in Florida is legally obligated to provide early voting locations if there is any state or federal race. There may not be any early voting for county or city elections.
    • If you don’t see the early voting locations on the SOE website, call your Supervisor of Elections and ask.
  2. Image titled Florida Voting Step 12
    2
    Show up in person 3-15 days before the official election date. Early voting closes 3 days before the election day. It will always be open 10 days before the election date, although your SOE may choose to allow early voting up to 15 days before the election or 2 days before the election.
    • In 2022, early voting in Florida will begin 15 days before the election (10/24/2022) across the entire state.
    • Early voting stations will always be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
    • You do not have to vote in your county.
  3. Image titled Florida Voting Step 13
    3
    Bring a valid Florida ID with you to vote in person. The same rules for in-person voting on election day apply to early voting. You must bring a valid ID with your name, picture, and signature on it. Show up between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm, present your ID, and fill in the ballot to cast your vote![15]
    • Electronic voting with audio/touchscreen controls will be available if you have a disability or require extra assistance.
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Warnings

  • Florida officials can be extremely harsh when it comes to convicted felons accidentally voting. If you’ve ever been arrested of a crime, contact your local Supervisor of Elections and ask them to confirm that you’re allowed to vote, just to be safe.[16]
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voter-registration/register-to-vote-or-update-your-information/
  2. ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/19/politics/tampa-police-body-cam-video-voter-fraud-arrest-florida-desantis/index.html
  3. ↑ https://www.myfloridalegal.com/ago.nsf/Opinions/43C5B1A5689CDC77852566B20062F214
  4. ↑ https://registertovoteflorida.gov/eligibilityreactive
  5. ↑ https://registertovoteflorida.gov/home
  6. ↑ https://registertovoteflorida.gov/home
  7. ↑ https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/check-your-voter-status-and-polling-place/voter-precinct-lookup/
  8. ↑ https://www.governing.com/work/theres-no-law-requiring-time-off-for-voting-in-florida.html
  9. ↑ https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/politics/elections/voter-identification-id-florida/67-a1924092-b132-44d0-9c01-9469684c810a
  1. ↑ https://www.pbcelections.org/Elections/Election-Dates-and-Deadlines
  2. ↑ https://www.myfloridaelections.com/Voting-Elections/Ways-to-Vote
  3. ↑ https://www.myfloridaelections.com/Voting-Elections/Ways-to-Vote/Vote-by-Mail-Absentee-Ballots
  4. ↑ https://www.myfloridaelections.com/Voting-Elections/Ways-to-Vote/Vote-by-Mail-Absentee-Ballots
  5. ↑ https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voting/early-voting-and-secure-ballot-intake-stations/
  6. ↑ https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voting/early-voting-and-secure-ballot-intake-stations/
  7. ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/19/politics/tampa-police-body-cam-video-voter-fraud-arrest-florida-desantis/index.html

About This Article

Vote.org
Co-authored by:
Vote.org
Nonpartisan Voter Turnout Organization
This article was co-authored by Vote.org and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Vote.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses technology to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy. In particular, it aims to reach underserved voters, and has established itself as one of the most trusted and acessible online resources for registering to vote and understanding how to cast your ballot.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: February 20, 2023
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Categories: Politics
Article SummaryX

To vote in Florida, you must be a US citizen and Florida resident who will be at least 18 years old on election day. If you haven’t registered to vote yet, visit the Florida Department of State’s website to register online. You’ll need a Florida driver’s license or state ID and your social security number. Make sure to register within 29 days of the upcoming election. To find your polling place, check Florida’s Division of Elections website. Florida requires you to show an ID when you vote, so bring your driver’s license, state ID, or another form of accepted photo ID to the polls. The polls are open between 7AM and 7PM every election day, so make sure you are in line by 7PM at the latest. If you need to vote by mail, request a mail-in ballot from the Supervisor of Elections website at least 35 days before the election and mail your ballot early enough so it arrives before election day.

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