By Patricia L Johnson       

Are you registered to vote?  The first step in the voting process is registration for new voters, and reporting name or address changes for existing voters.  If you’ve moved or changed your name, notify your county Board of Elections.

If you are a U.S. citizen and have an address within the United States you may print out an online registration form to fill out and mail, with three exceptions:

North Dakota does not have voter registration.

Wyoming law doesn’t permit registration by mail.

New Hampshire has their own absentee voter mail-in registration form.

The online form requires the following information to be completed:

• Name
• Home Address
• Mailing Address ( the home address and mailing address are usually the same although some people use post office boxes for their mail)
• Date of Birth
• Telephone Number
• ID Number (generally your drivers license number or social security number – see specific instructions for item 6 for your state).
• Choice of party – Some states require you to list your party preference (Democrat, Republican, or Independent)
• Race of Ethnic Group – some states require this information for the Federal Voting Rights Act – see instructions under item 8 for specifics for your state.
• Signature

The form requests you to read the instructions for your state and instructions for each state, plus the District of Columbia are listed – ALL are different, so please be sure to read the requirements for your specific state.  We’ll use Florida as an example:

Florida
Updated: 09-12-06
Registration Deadline — 29 days before the election.

6. ID Number. If you have one, you must provide your Florida driver’s license number or Florida identification card number. If you do not have a Florida driver’s license or identification card, you must provide the last four digits of your social security number.

7. Choice of Party. You must register with a party if you want to take part in that party’s primary election, caucus, or convention.

8. Race or Ethnic Group. You are requested to fill in this box. See the list of choices under the Application Instructions for Box 8 (on page 2).

9. Signature. To register in Florida you must:

• be a citizen of the United States
• be a legal resident of both the State of Florida and of the county in which you seek to be registered
• be 18 years old (you may preregister if you are 17)
• not now be adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other State
• not have been convicted of a felony without your civil rights having been restored pursuant to law
• not claim the right to vote in another county or state
• swear or affirm the following:
“I will protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Florida, that I am qualified to register as an elector under the Constitution and laws of the State of Florida, and that I am a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of Florida”

Mailing address:
State of Florida
Department of State
Division of Elections
The R.A. Gray Building
500 South Bronough St, Rm 316
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250

Once your application is completed and signed you simply mail it to the address indicated for YOUR state, or hand deliver.  If your application is accepted (you’ve filled in all required information and signed),  a voter registration card will be sent to you by return mail.

Most states require registration 30 days prior to an election, so please mail your application in as soon as possible so you are not shut-out.

The online registration form is in PDF format.  Download the following PDF reader if you do not have one installed.  Adobe Reader