Even though the first countywide election is not until August 23, you should check your voter registration status now and continue to check it. Why? First, every Supervisor of Elections (SOE) office is required by law to check their voter lists, a process referred to as “list maintenance.” There are many ways this is done, and while great care is done during the process, there is always the possibility for errors.
Second, perhaps you have moved and didn’t update your address with the SOE office. Your address determines who represents you in government. Or, you just don’t remember if you requested a Vote-By-Mail ballot. And, while very rare, there is also the possibility that someone altered your record.
Checking your voter registration status is easy. At the Broward County SOE website www.browardvotes.gov, click on “My Voter Information” – second icon from the left. Input the requested information (name and birthdate) and the next screen shows your voter registration record, including name and address. It will also indicate whether you have a Vote-By-Mail ballot request on file and how long that requests last.
Your voter record will also show whether you have selected a party affiliation. While this is a personal decision, most people don’t realize Florida is a closed primary state. This means if you wan to help select one of the candidates for the November general election, you have to select a party in order to vote in that party’s primary on August 23.
Take the time to browse the SOE website. Everything you need to know regarding voting is on this site. Right now, it is providing information for the March 8 Florida Senate District 30 race. But, once that election is over, it will be updated.
Monica Elliott
President
League of Women Voters of Broward County