Voter Registration deadline is October 5, here is how to register

Denise Diaz

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet” – Abraham Lincoln.

Denise Diaz, Reporter

The 2020 election is fast approaching and so is the Florida deadline to register to vote. Florida residents and students who are not registered have until Oct. 5.

According to the Florida Division of Elections, the voter projected turnout is 16% a downgrade to  the previous election of 2016. These are the steps necessary to ensure you are ready for the election.

The first step is to check your registration status. Students can go to www.Vote.org to check the status. Once you open the site, you will see the countdown to the election, followed by a link to check your status — it’s fast and simple. Just enter the required information and you’re a click away.

If you are currently registered please be sure to confirm your address and find out your nearest poll location. If you’ve never registered or your status says you’re not registered, the website will prompt you for a link to get registered. With just a few short steps the registration is complete. As a part of the required information, you will need to enter your current contact information and address. Please be sure to provide your current living situation as part of the information, as there is a local poll location for every address. To ensure your vote is valid, you will need to go to that poll location to vote. With COVID-19 concerns, mail-in ballots have been on the rise.

If you can’t go to the polls on election day on Nov. 3, you can request a mail-in ballot from your local election office — the deadline for mail-in ballot requests is Oct. 24 —  or by filling out a mail ballot application at the following website:

https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voting/vote-by-mail/. This is a time sensitive ballot. The ballot will need to be mailed in at least one week before election day for your vote to be counted. This is also a great way to take advantage of early voting and skip the line.

Here are some additional resources for voter registration:

www.registertovoteflorida.gov

https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voter-registration/

https://www.myfloridaelections.com/Voting-Elections/Register-To-Vote