House Bill hb1507
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 1507
By Representative Wilson
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to voter registration; creating
3 s. 97.0584, F.S.; requiring certain school
4 districts to establish a voter registration
5 program that offers eligible high school
6 students in the district the opportunity to
7 register to vote or to update a voter
8 registration record at least once a year;
9 providing that participation is mandatory for
10 public high schools in the district and
11 voluntary for nonpublic high schools in the
12 district; providing requirements of the
13 participating high schools, school districts,
14 and supervisors of elections with respect to
15 the program; specifying eligibility
16 requirements; providing for use of county
17 voting equipment in certain school elections;
18 providing an effective date.
19
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22 Section 1. Section 97.0584, Florida Statutes, is
23 created to read:
24 97.0584 High school voter registration program.--
25 (1)(a) Each school district in a county in which the
26 office of supervisor of elections is filled by appointment
27 rather than by election shall establish a voter registration
28 program that provides every eligible student enrolled in a
29 high school in the district the opportunity to register to
30 vote or to update a voter registration record at least once
31 each year as provided in this section. Registration under
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 1507
713-122E-02
1 this section includes preregistration as authorized under s.
2 97.041(1)(b).
3 (b) Participation in the program is mandatory for all
4 public high schools in the district and voluntary for each
5 nonpublic high school in the district.
6 (2) The social sciences division of each school
7 district subject to this section shall administer the program
8 for the district and shall coordinate the annual voter
9 registration drive conducted in the participating high schools
10 in the district to ensure compliance with this section.
11 (3)(a) Each participating high school in a school
12 district subject to this section shall conduct a voter
13 registration drive each year pursuant to this section with the
14 goal of registering a number of students equal to its base
15 group. The base group for each school shall consist of those
16 students who are enrolled in American Government or Economics
17 classes, who are at least 17 years of age as of April 10 of
18 the year of the registration drive, and who meet the
19 requirements to become a registered voter specified in s.
20 97.041.
21 (b) Each participating high school in a school
22 district subject to this section shall conduct a review of the
23 voter registration applications filled out by students at the
24 school to ensure compliance with the requirements for
25 completeness specified in s. 97.053(5) and shall submit the
26 completed voter registration applications to the school
27 district for submission to the supervisor of elections.
28 (4) The supervisor of elections of the county shall
29 provide the voter registration forms and other materials and
30 support necessary to assist the school district in carrying
31 out its responsibilities under this section.
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 1507
713-122E-02
1 (5) This section neither requires an eligible student
2 to register nor prevents a school district subject to this
3 section from providing eligible students the opportunity to
4 register at other times of the school year.
5 (6) As an adjunct to the program and to familiarize
6 students with the voting system used in their county, each
7 school district subject to this section shall make
8 arrangements with the supervisor of elections for use of the
9 county's voting equipment in any election held in a high
10 school in the district in which only students are candidates,
11 provided there is no conflict with another scheduled election
12 as determined by the supervisor of elections.
13 Section 2. Section 97.041, Florida Statutes, reads:
14 97.041 Qualifications to register or vote.--
15 (1)(a) A person may become a registered voter only if
16 that person:
17 1. Is at least 18 years of age;
18 2. Is a citizen of the United States;
19 3. Is a legal resident of the State of Florida;
20 4. Is a legal resident of the county in which that
21 person seeks to be registered; and
22 5. Registers pursuant to the Florida Election Code.
23 (b) A person who is otherwise qualified may
24 preregister on or after that person's 17th birthday and may
25 vote in any election occurring on or after that person's 18th
26 birthday.
27 (2) The following persons, who might be otherwise
28 qualified, are not entitled to register or vote:
29 (a) A person who has been adjudicated mentally
30 incapacitated with respect to voting in this or any other
31
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 1507
713-122E-02
1 state and who has not had his or her right to vote restored
2 pursuant to law.
3 (b) A person who has been convicted of any felony by
4 any court of record and who has not had his or her right to
5 vote restored pursuant to law.
6 (3) A person who is not registered may not vote.
7 Section 3. Subsection (5) of section 97.053, Florida
8 Statutes, reads:
9 97.053 Acceptance of voter registration
10 applications.--
11 (5)(a) A voter registration application is complete if
12 it contains:
13 1. The applicant's name.
14 2. The applicant's legal residence address.
15 3. The applicant's date of birth.
16 4. An indication that the applicant is a citizen of
17 the United States.
18 5. The last four digits of the applicant's social
19 security number.
20 6. An indication that the applicant has not been
21 convicted of a felony or that, if convicted, has had his or
22 her civil rights restored.
23 7. An indication that the applicant has not been
24 adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting or
25 that, if so adjudicated, has had his or her right to vote
26 restored.
27 8. Signature of the applicant swearing or affirming
28 under the penalty for false swearing pursuant to s. 104.011
29 that the information contained in the registration application
30 is true and subscribing to the oath required by s. 3, Art. VI
31 of the State Constitution and s. 97.051.
4
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2002 HB 1507
713-122E-02
1 (b) An applicant who fails to designate party
2 affiliation must be registered without party affiliation. The
3 supervisor must notify the voter by mail that the voter has
4 been registered without party affiliation and that the voter
5 may change party affiliation as provided in s. 97.1031.
6 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.
7
8 *****************************************
9 HOUSE SUMMARY
10
Requires each school district in a county in which the
11 office of supervisor of elections is filled by
appointment rather than by election to establish a voter
12 registration program that offers eligible high school
students in the district the opportunity to register to
13 vote or to update a voter registration record at least
once a year. Provides that participation is mandatory
14 for public high schools in the district and voluntary for
nonpublic high schools in the district. Provides
15 requirements of the participating high schools, school
districts, and supervisors of elections with respect to
16 the program. Specifies eligibility requirements.
Provides for use of county voting equipment in certain
17 school elections. See bill for details.
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
5
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.