Florida Legal Topics · Elections & Civic Rights

Voting Rights of Floridians

A plain-language guide to who can vote in Florida, the documents you need to register and to cast a ballot, and how to qualify to vote by mail.

Voting is one of the most important rights you have as a Florida resident. This page explains, in everyday language, the rules that decide whether you may register and vote, what proof of identity you need, and how to receive and return a ballot by mail. The rules come from the Florida Constitution and Florida election statutes, and they are administered by your county Supervisor of Elections and the Florida Division of Elections.

Who qualifies to vote in Florida

To register and vote in Florida, you must meet all of the following requirements:

• U.S. citizenship. Only United States citizens may register or vote in Florida.
• Florida residency. You must be a legal resident of Florida and a resident of the county where you register.
• Age. You must be at least 18 years old by Election Day. You may pre-register at 16, but your registration becomes active only when you turn 18.
• Mental competency. You must not have been judged mentally incapacitated with respect to voting, unless a court has restored that right.
• Felony status. You must not have a felony conviction that disqualifies you, unless your voting rights have been restored (see below).

Florida does not allow same-day registration. Your registration must be received at least 29 days before an election for you to vote in it.

Restoring voting rights after a felony conviction

Under Amendment 4, approved by Florida voters in 2018, most people with felony convictions have their voting rights automatically restored once they complete all terms of their sentence. That includes:

• Any prison or jail time;
• Probation, parole, or other supervision; and
• Payment in full of all fines, fees, costs, and restitution ordered as part of the sentence.

People convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense are not covered by this automatic restoration; they must seek restoration individually through the state clemency process. If you are unsure whether your court-ordered financial obligations have been satisfied, you can request a written advisory opinion from the Florida Division of Elections before you register. Confirming your eligibility first protects you, because registering or voting when you are not eligible can carry serious consequences.

What documentation you need to register

When you fill out a Florida voter registration application (Form DS-DE 39), you must provide one of the following identifying numbers:

• Your Florida driver license number; or
• Your Florida ID card number (issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles); or
• The last four digits of your Social Security number, if you do not have a Florida driver license or ID card.

Your application also asks for your full legal name, date of birth, and a Florida residential address (a P.O. box cannot be used as your residence, because the address sets your voting precinct). You will check boxes confirming your citizenship and your eligibility.

Registering online

To register online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov, you generally need both a current Florida driver license or Florida ID card and the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you do not have a Florida driver license or ID card, you can still use the online system to fill out the form, but you will need to print, sign, and mail or deliver it to your county Supervisor of Elections.

What to bring when you vote in person

When you vote during early voting or on Election Day, you must show a current and valid photo ID that also shows your signature. Florida accepts any one of these:

• Florida driver license
• Florida ID card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• United States passport
• Debit or credit card
• Military identification
• Student identification
• Retirement center identification
• Neighborhood association identification
• Public assistance identification
• Veteran health identification card issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm
• Government employee identification card (federal, state, county, or city)

If your photo ID does not include your signature, you will be asked for a second item that shows your signature. If you do not have an acceptable ID at all, you can still cast a provisional ballot. It will count if you are eligible and voted in the correct precinct, and the signature on the ballot envelope matches your registration record.

How to qualify to vote by mail

Every registered Florida voter may vote by mail. You do not need an excuse or a special reason. What you do need is a current vote-by-mail request on file with your county Supervisor of Elections.

How to request your mail ballot

Make your request directly to the Supervisor of Elections in the county where you are registered. You can do this:

• In a signed writing — the statewide request form is Form DS-DE 160 — sent by mail, fax, or as a scanned email attachment;
• Online, through your county's election website;
• In person at the Supervisor of Elections office; or
• By telephone to the Supervisor of Elections.

What your request must include

Your request must contain all of the following so the office can verify it against your record:

• Your name;
• Your date of birth;
• Your address (a signed written request is required if you want the ballot sent to an address that differs from the one on file); and
• Your Florida driver license number, Florida ID card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number — whichever can be verified in the office's records.

A single valid request covers every election through the end of the current cycle, so you do not have to ask again for each separate election within that period.

Deadlines and returning your ballot

• Requesting: Your request must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the 12th day before an election. A ballot requested inside the final 10 days before an election requires a special emergency affidavit.
• Returning: Your completed ballot must be received by the Supervisor of Elections by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. A postmark is not enough — the office must actually have it in hand by then. You can mail it or drop it at a secure ballot intake location.
• Sign the envelope. The most common reason a mail ballot is rejected is a missing or mismatched signature. Sign the return envelope the same way you signed your registration. If the signature is questioned, you can fix it with a Cure Affidavit (Form DS-DE 139) plus an ID copy, returned by 5:00 p.m. on the second day after the election.

Key 2026 election dates

These dates apply to Florida's 2026 election cycle. Always confirm current dates with your county Supervisor of Elections, because deadlines shift each cycle.

Florida holds closed primaries, which means you generally must be registered with a party to vote in that party's primary. If you want to change your party affiliation before a primary, do it by the registration deadline above.

A note on the new proof-of-citizenship law

In 2026, the Florida Legislature passed a law (HB 991) that would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. As of this writing, that law is the subject of a court challenge and is not scheduled to take effect until January 1, 2027, so it does not change the requirements for the 2026 elections. Because this area is actively changing, confirm the current rules with your county Supervisor of Elections before you register.

Frequently asked questions