WHY SHOULD I REGISTER TO VOTE?
To participate in the selection of officials or to express opinions on a specific ballot issue, a citizen must be a registered voter. Only individuals who meet the eligibility requirements and are registered before the election's registration deadline may vote.
AM I ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?
In order to register to vote, a person must:
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Be a citizen of the United States of America
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Be a Florida resident
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Be 18-years-old (voters may preregister starting at 16-years-old)
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Not now be adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state
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Not have been convicted of a felony in Florida, or any other state, without civil rights having been restored through clemency or The Voting Rights Restoration Amendment.
HOW CAN I REGISTER TO VOTE?
Individuals may register to vote online or with the Supervisor of Elections in the county of legal residence or complete a Voter Registration Application form. To register in person, visit one of our convenient locations:
Collier County Supervisor of Elections Headquarters
Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building
3750 Enterprise Avenue
Naples, FL 34104
Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
North Collier Government Services Center
2335 Orange Blossom Drive
Naples, FL 34109
Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Heritage Bay Government Services Center
15450 Collier Boulevard
Naples, FL 34120
Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Voter applications are also available at Naples City Hall, Everglades City Hall, Marco Island City Hall, and the Immokalee Tax Office. The Supervisor of Elections office conducts special registration drives annually throughout the community.
Voters may register at any Florida Driver License Office when making an initial application or renewing a license. Voter registration applications are also available at the county's public libraries. Eligible persons may register when applying at public service offices for Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Health & Rehabilitative Services, the Women, Infants, Children nutrition program, any state agency providing service to disabled residents, and armed forces recruiting offices.
The Supervisor of Elections office also hosts voter registration drives throughout the county. Please visit our Activities & Events Calendar to learn where we will be located this month.
IS MY VOTER REGISTRATION PUBLIC RECORD?
Once filed, with few exceptions, all voter registration information is public record including your name, address, date of birth, party affiliation, phone number, and email address. Your social security number, your driver license number or state identification card number, and the source of your voter registration application CANNOT be released or disclosed to the public under any circumstances, and can only be used for voter registration purposes. Your signature can be viewed, but not copied. Florida Statute 97.0585.
Your voter registration information may not be publicly disclosed or made available, provided:
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You are or become a participant in the Attorney General’s Address Confidentiality Program for victims of domestic violence and stalking. See section Florida Statute 97.0585(3) and sections 741.401-741.465, Florida Statutes. Contact the Attorney General’s Office’s Bureau of Advocacy and Grants Management at 850.414.3300 for instructions on how to become a participant.
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You submit a written request to each agency that may have your information such as your address, photo, and date of birth. However, you must fall within one of the statutorily designated classes of high-risk professionals. Please refer to the Public Records Exemption Request form and follow instructions to submit the completed form to the Florida Department of State.
Public information can find its way onto the Internet or websites by individuals or entities that obtain public records from the State. Once information is in the public domain, you will need to contact the owner or administrator of third-party sites in order to get the information removed.
WHEN SHOULD I REGISTER TO VOTE?
Individuals who meet eligibility requirements may register at any time. To participate in an election, however, voters must be registered by the registration deadline which falls on the 29th day before each election.
HOW CAN I UPDATE MY VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION OR CHANGE MY PARTY AFFILIATION?
Signature Update
Signature changes can be made by completing and signing a Voter Registration Application form. It is important to update your signature over a period of time. When voting by person, by provisional ballot or by mail, Florida election law requires each voter to sign a Voter’s Certificate. While an exact matching of a voter’s signature is not required, the signature must reasonable match the signature of record. More information can be found on our Voter Signature FAQ page.
Address Change
Address changes can be made online, by completing a Voter Registration Application form or by contacting the Supervisor of Elections office:
When you contact the Supervisor of Elections office, have your Florida Driver License number, Florida Identification number or the last four of your Social Security Number ready for verification.
It is important to keep your address updated because your address will determine what contests appear on your ballot.
Name and Political Party Update
When updating your name and/or your political party affiliation, you must use the online voter registration system or complete the Voter Registration Application form.
WHAT IS LEGAL RESIDENCY?
Legal residency for voter registration is defined by the Florida Department of State/Division of Elections as where a person mentally intends to make his or her permanent residence. Additional evidence of such intent can come from items or activities such as obtaining a Florida Driver License, paying tax receipts, paying bills for residency such as light, water, and garbage service, receiving mail at that address and claiming the property homestead. Often when referring to legal residency for voter registration, the Supervisor of Elections suggests listing the address of where a voter lays their head down at night.
CAN I VOTE IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS?
Florida is a Closed Primary state. This means that only voters who are registered members of a political party may vote for their respective party’s candidate in a Primary Election. Voters without party affiliation can vote on nonpartisan contests including judges, school board and city council races (if they live within the city limits). (Florida Statute 101.021)
Voters may change their party affiliation online or by completing a Voter Registration Application form. *To be eligible to vote for a partisan candidate during a Primary Election, a party change must be made by the voter registration deadline, 29 days prior to the election. (Florida Statute 97.1031)
*Universal Primary: a universal primary is a contest in the Primary Election in which all candidates have the same party affiliation, but will not see opposition during the General Election. During a universal primary, all qualified electors may vote regardless of their party affiliation.
CAN I CANCEL MY VOTER REGISTRATION?
Yes, but as a reminder, if you cancel your voter registration, you can no longer vote in elections unless you re-register to vote. A voter registration cancelation form can be found in our online forms library.