August 18 is the day of the primary election in Broward County; the general election is November 3. The Broward Supervisor of Elections website (https://www.browardsoe.org/) is a great place to find all the information you need, including:
- How to register to vote
- How to check that your voter registration is up to date
- Request an “absentee” (vote-by-mail) ballot
- View your sample ballot
A sample ballot is a great way to become familiar with the various elections on the ballot that are important to you. For this August, while there are some primary races on the ballot, there are several local elections that are “nonpartisan,” i.e. not just for Democrats or Republicans. So regardless of whether you belong to a political party, you can vote for certain positions in the primary. For example, the Clerk of the Circuit Court, as well as many judges’ seats, are on the ballot.
In November, of course, every registered voter can vote.
Not Registered to Vote? You Can Register Online!
Florida is one of over 30 states that allows you to register online; it’s very easy and only takes a few minutes; visit https://registertovoteflorida.gov/home to learn more. According to Register to Vote Florida, to be eligible to register to vote you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States of America;
- Be a legal resident of Florida;
- Be a legal resident of the county in which you seek to be registered;
- Be at least 16 years old to preregister or at least 18 years old to register and vote;
- Not be a person who has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored; and,
- Not be a person convicted of a felony without having your right to vote restored.
Other Ways to Register
According to the State of Florida, there are several other ways to register to vote in Florida. You can apply through:
- A Florida driver license office
- A tax collector’s office that issues driver licenses or Florida Identification (ID) cards
- Through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s online website for renewing a driver license or state identification card
- A voter registration agency such as a public assistance office or public library
You can also submit a paper voter registration application either by mail or in-person to the Broward Supervisor of Elections office; the main office is located at 115 S. Andrews Ave., Room 102, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Their hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am – 5pm, but it is best to call ahead in case the hours have changed. Their phone number is (954) 357-7050.
The deadline to register in an upcoming election is 29 days before the election. Although the deadline for this month’s primary election has passed, there is still plenty of time to register before the October 5 deadline for the November 3 election.
Concerned about the pandemic? The Broward Supervisor of Elections Office has a set of important health and safety guidelines for this year’s in-person voting. You can find those guidelines here.
Apply to Be an Election Worker
You can sign up to be an Election Worker in the upcoming elections by completing the application on the Broward SOE website: https://www.browardsoe.org/Poll-Worker-Information/Become-a-Poll-Worker.
