Can anyone register to vote?
If you are a legal resident of Escambia County and fulfill all the following conditions, you are eligible to register to vote in Escambia County.
You must:
- Be a citizen of the United States, and
- Be 18 years of age (you may pre-register once you turn 16), and
- Not have been convicted of a felony without having your civil rights restored, and
- Not have been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting without having your civil rights restored.
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Where can I go to register to vote?
There are many locations throughout the county and other opportunities to obtain a Florida Voter Registration Application, the only acceptable form. The most "informative" place is the Supervisor of Elections offices located downtown at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor (on the corner of Palafox Place and Intendencia Street). Here is a map.
Regardless of where applications are picked up or turned in, a registration application is not valid until processed as complete by the Supervisor of Elections office. Every application received is acknowledged in writing with a voter registration card or letter requesting more information. (As of January 1, 2006, voter registration cards were replaced by voter information cards, which may not be used for identification.)
Places to obtain a Florida Voter Registration Application:
All of the above locations are required to accept your completed form and
forward it to our office within five days. See below for additional sources.
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Can I pick up or download a form and just mail it in?
Anyone who registers by mail and who has never previously voted in
Florida and who does not hold a current and valid Florida driver's license,
Florida ID card, or a social security number, has
to provide a copy of a current and valid identification OR fit one of the
exemptions. Such identification or exemption may be provided when registering or
at any time prior to voting for the first time in the state. Acceptable ID
includes U. S.
passport, military ID, student ID, public assistance ID and others; contact the
elections office for additional information.
Certain persons are exempt: persons 65 years of age or older; those with a
temporary or permanent disability; military members on active duty and their
dependents; merchant marine members and their dependents; and civilians residing
outside the U.S. who are eligible to vote in
Florida; and persons who have previously voted in Florida.
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Do I have to re-register (a) if I haven't voted in a long time, or (b) every time I move?
(a) No, we have a permanent voter registration system. However, a voter by law is required to:
Inform the elections office of any change of address within the county or state Respond to a request for Address Confirmation in order to keep your record current as an active voter
Note: It is suggested that a voter make some form of contact at least every two years to insure active status.
(b) You do not have to re-register, but you do have to notify the elections office of your new address.
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Do I have to choose a political party?
No, it is not required. If you do not choose a party, you will be registered as "No Party Affiliation." Voters registered as No Party Affiliation or in a minor party may not vote for major party (Democrat and Republican) candidates in a primary, but may vote on non-partisan candidates and issues in the primary.
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Does being "No Party Affiliation" or minor party mean I can vote for anyone in a primary?
No, as Florida is a closed primary state. Only the two major parties (Republican and Democrat) have primaries, which are nominating elections, and you have to be registered as a member of the party whose primary you wish to vote in. However, all voters may vote in a primary for nonpartisan races, such as school board members, judges, and referenda. The only other exception is for a Universal Primary.
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If I'm not currently registered, what is the registration deadline for an election?
The registration deadline is 29 days prior to an election.
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How do I change my political party?
A party change has to be submitted to the elections office with your original signature. (As of January 1, 2006, all party changes must be made on the Florida Voter Registration Application.) Party changes will not be processed when the registration books are closed 29 days prior to any election.
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How do I change my address?
Address changes can be made in writing (on the Florida Voter Registration Form or in any written form), by email, fax, or telephone, just about any contact with the elections office.
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How do voters names get removed and/or re-instated?
If a voter registers in another county in Florida, the state central voter file will notify us and the registration here will be canceled. (See Question #1 for change as of January 1, 2006).
If a voter registers in another state and indicates his prior registration here in Florida, we will also be notified, in most cases, and your Florida registration would be canceled.
If we receive notification from the post office that a voter's address has changed, we will send an Address Verification card to the new address for the voter to verify the effect on his registration. If that, or any other piece of first class mail, comes back to the office as Returned Undeliverable mail, we send an Address Confirmation Final Notice and if we receive no response within 30 days, or if it comes back Undeliverable as well, the voter will be placed on Inactive status.
Voters on the Inactive list can be re-instated by updating their voter registration, appearing to vote, or requesting an absentee ballot, provided that their status has not changed. However, after two general (federal) elections from the date the final notice was sent, all Inactive voters who show no activity will be removed from the registration records and must register again in order to vote.
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What identification do I need to vote?
A voter ID card by itself is no longer sufficient. You must have both a photo and signature ID, which may be on one ID, such as a driver's license or military ID (among other things), or may be two separate pieces.
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If my voter ID card is lost or stolen, how to I get a replacement?
A request for a duplicate card must be made to your supervisor of elections in writing. Please Note: They may not be used for identification.
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I've moved since the last time I voted. Do I go to my old precinct to vote?
Call the supervisor of elections office or check the website to find the location of your new precinct's polling place before you go to vote. You may change your address at the new precinct. It is a felony to vote in a precinct in which you do not live.
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If I am unable to go to the polls on election day, how can I vote?
You may request an absentee ballot by telephone, mail, email, fax, or in person, to be sent to you or picked up by you. Or, you may "vote early" in either one of our offices 15 days prior to a regularly scheduled election.
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When does my absentee ballot have to be returned to your office?
The ballot must be in either one of our two offices by 7 p.m. CST on election day in order to be counted. However, if you are overseas and voting in a federal election, your ballot must be postmarked by the date of the election and we must receive it within 10 days of the election for it to be counted.
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I've never voted before. Will someone show me what to do?
Yes. Our Greeter/Voter Education Inspector will offer you a demonstration on how to mark your ballot when you arrive at the polling place.
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If I'm physically impaired in some way, can I bring someone with me to help me vote?
Yes, you may but you are not required to. If you need assistance, two of our poll workers from different political parties will assist you as needed.
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What happens if I make a mistake on my ballot?
Tell the poll workers you have made a mistake, and you will be issued a new
ballot in exchange for your "spoiled" ballot, which is sealed in an envelope and
never opened.
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What happens if I forget to bring my ID with me to the polls?
As of January 1, 2006, whether or not your name is in the precinct register, you will be required to vote by provisional ballot.
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What hours are the polls open?
The polls are open 7 am to 7 pm on election day. If you are in line by 7 pm, you will be allowed to vote.
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Can I just turn my voted absentee ballot back in at my polling place?
No, your voted absentee ballot must be turned in at one of our two offices.
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How do I become a poll worker?
Click here for information on becoming a Poll Worker.
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Can I change my political party at the polls?
No, registration books close 29 days before an election, so party changes must be done prior to the book closing date in order to be in effect for that election.
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Can I bring my marked sample ballot to the polls?
Yes, as long as you do not display it for others to see and do not leave it in the polling place. We encourage use of the sample ballot.
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What is a Universal Primary?
If in any race, only candidates of one major party have qualified, and there are no minor party, independent, or write-in candidates for the general election, that race will be on the primary ballot for ALL registered voters of the jurisdiction, regardless of party registration.
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Can I still vote if I've been convicted of a felony?
You can still vote after a felony conviction if your civil rights have been restored.
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How do I find out if my civil rights have been restored?
You may either call our office to ask for assistance or you may visit the website of the Office of Executive Clemency for more information.
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Do the courts get prospective juror's names from voter registration rolls?
No. The courts obtain their prospective jurors' names from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
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Can someone pick up or return an absentee ballot for me?
You must designate, in writing, a member of your immediate family to pick up a ballot for you, no earlier than four days before an election, and provide certain required information. You can also have someone else return your ballot. In both cases, the designee for pick-up or delivery must provide identification. Candidates may not pick up or return ballots for anyone except members of his/her immediate family.
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