James Call

Tallahassee Democrat

Leon County residents who want a say when Florida elects a new governor and cabinet and congressional delegation have until Tuesday to get their paperwork in for the November election.

That's the deadline register to vote or update their address or other voter information. Both the Leon Supervisor of Elections and the Secretary of State sent out alerts Friday to alert residents that the “bookkeeping” date for the election was within sight.

The deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 9.

Leon County reported 211,991 voters Friday afternoon. That’s an increase of 17,266 voters since August 2016.

To help anyone else who wants to join the list, Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley’s staff will hit the streets after work Tuesday to encourage residents to sign up. Election workers will set up after 5:00 p.m. Tuesday at both the LeRoy Collins Main Library on West Park Avenue and the New Leaf Market on Apalachee Parkway.

In addition to whatever paperwork needs to be addressed, election workers will be able to provide vote-by-mail, early-voting, and election-day voting information. They’ll stay at the library until 8:30 p.m. and remain at New Leaf until after 9:00 p.m.

Earley added that the Leon County Election Center on Apalachee Parkway at Capital Circle opens Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. and also can assist with election matters.

There are several ways for Floridians to register to vote.

The Department of State maintains an online voter registration website at RegistertoVoteFlorida.gov. A Florida driver license or identification card along with the last four digits of a social security number are needed for online registration.

Online registration also is available at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website and at any public assistance office or public library.

“I encourage all eligible Floridians who still need to submit a voter registration application to do so by the Oct. 9 deadline,” Secretary of State Ken Detzner said Friday. “Additionally, the Department is extending the hours of operation of the Voter Assistance Hotline leading up to the deadline to ensure we provide any needed assistance to Florida voters.”

The Hotline number is 1-866-308-6739

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and former Congressman Ron DeSantis are locked in a tight race for governor while Gov. Rick Scott aims to unseat U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. The deadline to register to have a say in who wins is set at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.

Reporter James Call can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com