The Florida Senate

97.053  Acceptance of voter registration applications.--

(1)  Voter registration applications, changes in registration, and requests for a replacement registration identification card must be accepted in the office of any supervisor, the division, a driver license office, a voter registration agency, or an armed forces recruitment office when hand delivered by the applicant or a third party during the hours that office is open or when mailed.

(2)  A completed voter registration application that contains the information necessary to establish an applicant's eligibility pursuant to s. 97.041 becomes the official voter registration record of that applicant when received by the appropriate supervisor.

(3)  The registration date for a valid initial voter registration application that has been hand delivered is the date when received by a driver license office, a voter registration agency, an armed forces recruitment office, the division, or the office of any supervisor in the state.

(4)  The registration date for a valid initial voter registration application that has been mailed and bears a clear postmark is the date of the postmark. If an initial voter registration application that has been mailed does not bear a postmark or if the postmark is unclear, the registration date is the date the registration is received by any supervisor or the division, unless it is received within 5 days after the closing of the books for an election, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, in which case the registration date is the book-closing date.

(5)(a)  A voter registration application is complete if it contains:

1.  The applicant's name.

2.  The applicant's legal residence address.

3.  The applicant's date of birth.

4.  An indication that the applicant is a citizen of the United States.

5.  The applicant's Florida driver's license number, the identification number from a Florida identification card issued under s. 322.051, or the last four digits of the applicant's social security number.

6.  An indication that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony or that, if convicted, has had his or her civil rights restored.

7.  An indication that the applicant has not been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting or that, if so adjudicated, has had his or her right to vote restored.

8.  Signature of the applicant swearing or affirming under the penalty for false swearing pursuant to s. 104.011 that the information contained in the registration application is true and subscribing to the oath required by s. 3, Art. VI of the State Constitution and s. 97.051

(b)  An applicant who fails to designate party affiliation must be registered without party affiliation. The supervisor must notify the voter by mail that the voter has been registered without party affiliation and that the voter may change party affiliation as provided in s. 97.1031

History.--s. 11, ch. 94-224; s. 27, ch. 97-13; s. 5, ch. 98-129; s. 4, ch. 2003-415.