Florida voter registration guide: How to check voter registration, where to vote, what to know

Florida has several elections coming up in 2024, not the least of which is the presidential race, and hot-button amendments on recreational marijuana and abortion may be on the ballot.

A Presidential Preference Primary will be held on March 19, 2024, and the state's primary election will be on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Primary elections determine each qualified party's nomination of candidates for federal offices in the general election, as well as state and county offices. The general election will be on Nov. 5, 2024.

Note that even if you voted by mail in 2022, you won't get future vote-by-mail ballots unless you request them from your county elections office.

How to register to vote in Florida

To be eligible to register to vote in Florida, you must be a United States citizen, live in the state, and be at least 18 years old, although 16-year-olds may pre-register.

You must live in the county where you plan to vote, and you may not register to vote if you are adjudicated mentally incapacitated. You also may not register to vote if you are a convicted felon unless your right to vote has been restored.

Otherwise-eligible voters who are homeless may still register to vote, provided they have an address to receive mail daily, according to the Florida Coalition to End Homelessness.

Voter registration may be done:

• In person at your county Supervisor of Elections office or authorized third-party voter registration organization

• Online at registertovoteflorida.gov

• By mail by printing out registration forms (English | Spanish) and returning them to your county's Supervisor of Elections office.

Voter registration ends 29 days before an election in Florida. The 2024 voter registration deadlines are:

• Presidential Preference Primary: Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024

• Primary election: Monday, July 22, 2024

• General election: Monday, Oct. 7, 2024

Florida is a closed primary state. Voters may only participate in primaries for their registered party in Florida. While you can update your registration information at any time, if you plan to change your party it must be done by the registration deadline for that election. Party change requests made after the registration deadline will be processed for future elections.

How do I check my voter registration in Florida?

You can make sure you're still registered and all the information is correct by going here. You should do this every year well in time to address it before any voting deadlines.

How to vote in Florida

The state of Florida offers various options for those looking to vote. Let's break them down.

Vote early in-person

You can vote early in Florida for a minimum of eight days, generally ending the weekend before the election. In the general election, the last day to vote early is the Thursday before Election Day, which in 2024 is Nov. 2.

Early voting hours may run from eight to 12 hours per day for each site. You must vote in your county but if you vote early you are not required to vote in your assigned precinct.

You can find your voting locations here.

ID is required to vote in Florida during early voting and on Election Day. You must bring a current and valid photo ID with a signature. Valid IDs include:

• Florida driver’s license

• Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

• United States passport

• Debit or credit card

• Military identification

• Student identification

• Retirement center identification

• Neighborhood association identification

• Public assistance identification

• Veteran health identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs

• License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to s. 790.06

• Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality.

If you don't have a valid ID with you when you go to the polls you still will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted provided you are eligible to vote, you voted in the correct precinct, and your signature matches the one on file.

Request a mail-in/absentee ballot

Any eligible Florida voter may request a vote-by-mail or absentee ballot, and no reason is required. You must request a mail ballot every general election cycle, at least 12 days before the election. The deadlines to request a vote-by-mail ballot for 2024 are:

• Presidential preference primary election: 5 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 7, 2024

• Primary election: 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024

• General election: 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024

Who can request mail ballots in Florida?

All registered Florida voters, including those overseas, may request a mail ballot. You also may request a mail ballot on behalf of your spouse, legal guardian, or your or your spouse’s parent, child, grandparent, grandchild or sibling.

• All registered Florida voters, including those overseas

• You also may request a mail ballot on behalf of your spouse, legal guardian, or your door your spouse's parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, or sibling.

Return your completed ballot

Ballots may be returned by mail or in person and all ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

You can drop off your completed ballot via designated secure dropboxes located at early voting sites. You may not drop off a completed ballot on Election Day, but if you go to the polls to vote, you can bring your vote-by-mail ballot (completed or not) with you so it can be canceled.

You can find your ballot drop-off locations here. You can also track your ballot online here.

You may drop off other ballots besides your own, but Florida law restricts you to two signed, sealed ballots besides your own, except for immediate family members. Violation of this is a felony.

How do I find my polling place?

It's listed on your voter registration card, or you can look it up at your county's Supervisor of Elections website. Here's how to find yours.

What time are the polls open in Florida?

The polls are open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in whatever time zone you live in. Any voters still in line at 7 p.m. will be permitted to cast a ballot however long it takes.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida voter registration guide: How to check registration, deadlines