If you’re hoping to vote in next month’s city, town and village elections in Broward and Palm Beach counties, but haven’t registered yet, you don’t have much time left.
The voter registration deadline for the local elections is on Monday, Feb. 9 — 29 days before the March 10 elections.
Residents of two cities, towns and villages in Broward and 19 in Palm Beach County are electing local officials, deciding on referendums, or both. Some communities will pick successors to departing mayors who have been in office for years.
How to register
People registering online have until 11:59 p.m. and those registering at an elections office have until they close at 5 p.m.
Registration applications sent by mail will be processed if they are postmarked on or before Feb. 9, according to representatives of county elections offices.
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 cannot be corrected after the deadline.
People can complete the process online as long as they have 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 or dropped off.
People can also download and print a registration form, or pick one up at elections branch offices, motor vehicle offices and libraries.
In-person registration is available at supervisor of elections offices, government offices such as tax collectors that issue driver’s licenses or state ID cards, and government offices such as libraries or driver’s license offices.
A person needs to be 18 to vote. But people are allowed to pre-register before turning 18.
Who can vote
Most Broward communities have their local elections in November. Palm Beach County municipalities generally use the uniform March election day.
Broward voting: Lauderhill and Pembroke Pines (Districts 1 and 4). Candidates in four other places were unopposed, so elections won’t be held.
Palm Beach County voting: Boynton Beach, Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Gulf Stream, Hypoluxo, Juno Beach, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Lake Park, Lake Worth Beach, Loxahatchee Groves, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Royal Palm Beach, South Palm Beach, Wellington, and West Palm Beach.
Mail voting
People who want to vote by mail will have to submit a new request for a ballot if they haven’t done so since the 2024 presidential election.
Under state law, all requests for vote-by-mail ballots made prior to the 2024 presidential elections have been voided.
A mail ballot applicant must submit a driver’s license (or state ID card) number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
Dates & deadlines
Register to vote: Feb.9 — 5 p.m. in person; 11:59 p.m. online; Oct. 7 postmark.
Request mail ballot: 5 p.m. Feb. 26.
In-person early voting: Not available for March local elections.
Return mail ballots: 7 p.m. March 10. Postmarks don’t count.
Election Day: March 10. Neighborhood polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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.