Florida will not extend Monday’s deadline to register to vote in the presidential election.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said the approach of Hurricane Milton, and people’s need to prepare and in some cases evacuate, does not necessitate postponing the deadline.
Oct. 7 is a deadline set in state law for people who aren’t registered to vote to sign up. People who aren’t registered won’t be able to vote in the Nov. 5 election.
The deadline to register in person is when a county elections office closes for the day, typically 5 p.m. People also can register online until 11:59 p.m. Monday.
“People can register today (Monday). There’s nothing inhibiting you registering today. The storm has not hit yet,” DeSantis said Monday morning during a news briefing at the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, shortly after the National Hurricane Center said Milton was a major Category 4 hurricane.
If there is damage to election infrastructure, including polling places and elections offices, and workers are displaced, DeSantis said he would be “happy to do” an executive order that changes other provisions of state election law governing early voting, polling place hours and poll workers. He suspended some state election laws and regulations at the request of supervisors of elections in counties affected by Hurricane Helene.
“But we’re not going to change any registration deadline. You can register today and there doesn’t need to, there’s no reason to open that up,” DeSantis said.
Registration applications sent by mail are processed if they are postmarked on or before Oct. 7, according to the state Division of Elections’ frequently asked questions.
One caveat about mailing the application. It’s important for someone returning an application by mail to examine it closely to make sure it’s complete. An error in an application might be impossible to correct after the deadline.
Elections officials have long recommended registering online, which can be done if someone has a Florida driver’s license or state ID and the last four digits of their Social Security numbers. People seeking to register without either of those forms will get to a point in the process where the form will have to be printed out and mailed in.
A person needs to be 18 to vote. But people are allowed to pre-register before turning 18.
Information
People can check to see if they’re registered to vote, request mail ballots and check their status, and find locations of polling places online and by phone.
Broward County: www.browardvotes.gov, 954-357-8683.
Palm Beach County: www.votepalmbeach.gov, 561-656-6200.
State Division of Elections: RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov.