TO REGISTER TO VOTE, YOU MUST BE:

• A citizen of the United States
• A Florida resident. A legal resident of the county in which you seek to be registered; Florida law requires you live at the address in which you seek to be registered (your legal residence)
• 18 years of age (or you may pre-register at 17 years of age, must be 18 to vote)
• Not claim the right to vote in another state or county, or claim residency in any other state or county
• Not have been convicted of a felony in Florida, or any other state, without your civil rights having been restored
• Not presently adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state

HOW TO REGISTER

BY MAIL – Pick up an application at any of the following places:

• Libraries, Colleges, Government Agencies
• Division of Driver Licenses, Lake County Welcome Center

As a result of enactment of the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) by the United States Congress, Florida law (97.0535, Florida Statutes) now has new requirements for anyone who registers by mail. As of January 1, 2003, if you are a new registrant in Lake County, you registered by mail and you have not voted in an election in this county you must present a current valid photo identification or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or other government documents that show your name and address. If you wish to vote by mail you must submit, with your ballot, the same documentation stated above.

To be exempt from the above qualifications you must meet one of the following requirements:

• You must be 65 years of age or older
• Have a physical disability
• Member, spouse or dependent of active uniform service or merchant marine absent from the county on election day
• Living outside the United States, but eligible to vote in Florida

IN PERSON – At the following locations:

Supervisor of Elections Office
Lake County Administration Building (round building)
315 West Main Street, Room 144
Tavares, Florida 32778
(352) 343-9734

Kmart Shopping Plaza
1060 E. HWY 50
Clermont, Florida 34711

Voter registration forms can also be used to notify us of a name change or party affiliation change. Upon receiving your completed application and determining that you are qualified as a voter in Lake County, a registration ID card will be mailed to you within ten days after we receive your request. The date your voter registration application is postmarked or hand delivered to your county supervisor of elections will be your registration date. In order to be eligible to vote in an election, you must be registered to vote at least 29 days before the election.

ON-LINE - http://elections.co.lake.fl.us/iVotronic/iVotronic_frames.htm

Changing Your Address

Florida Statute 97.1031 states:

"When an elector moves from the address named on that person’s voter registration record to another address within the same county, the elector must provide notification of such move to the supervisor of elections of that county."

You can use the link below to change your address for voter registration purposes or to request a replacement voter ID card if yours has been lost, stolen or damaged.

http://elections.co.lake.fl.us/address_change/index.aspx

CLOSED PRIMARY

Florida is a "closed primary" state. Which means:

If you wish to vote in a partisan primary election, you must be a registered voter in the party for which the primary is being held. (Section 101.021 Florida Statutes)

However, if all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general election, all qualified electors, regardless of party affiliation, may vote in the primary election for that office. Also, all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation can vote on issues and non-partisan candidates.

If there is opposition and you are registered as "no party affiliation" or with a minor political party, you can only vote for:

"Nonpartisan candidates and Issues only"

Nonpartisan candidates are: County Judges and School Board Members

Below is a link that provides more information about political parties in Florida.

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/online/parties.shtml

ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUESTS

Registered voters in Lake County may request an absentee ballot in writing, in person or by telephone. The person making the request must:

• Disclose the voter's name
• Voter's address and date of birth
• Voter's signature (written requests)
• Specify the election(s) for which the ballots are being requested
• Provide mailing address (ballots can not be forwarded)
• In addition, if the absentee ballot request is being made for someone else, the requester’s name, requester’s address, requester’s signature (written request only), relationship to the elector and, if available, driver’s license number, must be included

Absentee ballots must be returned to the Supervisor of Elections' office no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day.

NOTE: AN ABSENTEE BALLOT CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED AT A POLLING LOCATION.

Absentee Ballot Request Form

ON ELECTION DAY

• Polls are open 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
• Double-check your precinct number and location
• Bring your ID – Photo ID with signature
• You may bring your marked sample ballot with you to assist you in making your selections
• If your require assistance in voting, you may designate a person of your choice