As the primary and general elections approach, those inclined to vote have to ensure that their voter registration is completed in order to prevent challenges to your vote.
Florida voters can vote one of three ways: Vote-by-mail upon request, vote during early voting, or vote on election day at a polling location.
A vote-by-mail ballot is one that you can request and pick up or have delivered to you instead of going to the polls.
During the 2020 presidential election, former President Trump charged without proof that countless ballots received through the mail were fraudulent.
Leon County’s Supervisor of Elections, Mark Earley, emailed a media release informing voters of the updated requirements that need to be fulfilled to vote by mail.
“Over the next several weeks, my office is mailing letters to over 13,000 Leon County voters whose voter registration records do not include key identification information,” Earley said in the release.
Starting in 2006 voters were required to provide either a Florida driver’s license number, state ID card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number to register to vote.
Voters who registered before 2006 are possibly missing this information from their records.
After a recent change to Florida’s law, to request mail-in ballots, election offices are now required to verify one of these identifiers before changing voter addresses or processing voter information.
Voting by mail is the most efficient way for individuals who have difficulty going to voting polls. This way of voting is mainly used by older voters, which is the demographic this change will affect the most.
“I enjoy voting by mail,” James Franklin, taking a break at the Senior Center, said. “The ballot is mailed out, and I send it right back.”
The most efficient way to provide the missing ID information is through Florida’s online voter registration system, RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov. A voter can update their record and provide any missing information.
Alternatively, voters can complete and return the form attached with the letter using the postage-paid envelope supplied.
“I have been voting by mail for the past 25 years,” said Carol Bradley at the Senior Center. “I have not received any notifications but If I need to make any changes, I am comfortable with doing so online”.
For decades the vote by mail process has been relatively similar from year to year. With new regulations, the process may be altered for some, if there is information missing. To confirm the legitimacy of the letter, the elections office encourage voters to contact the supervisor of elections office with any questions.