In mid-September, 93,000 signature letters were sent to registered St. Johns County voters who had not updated their signature within the past five years. The letters were also sent as a reminder to voters who have renewed or replaced their Florida driver’s licenses within the past year that their identification number may have changed.
As expected, after receiving these letters, our office was flooded with calls and our social media filled with questions from residents. I have gathered the most common questions I was asked in hopes of answering some of your questions as well.
Q: Is this letter a scam?
No, this letter is from the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections office. I wanted to remind voters who have not updated their signature within the past five years that they should keep their signatures up to date. These voters were sent a letter, a Florida voter registration form, and a postage-paid return envelope.
Q: I didn’t get a letter, but my spouse did. Where is mine?
If you did not get a letter, that means you HAVE updated your signature within the past five years, and no action is necessary.
Q: If I do not return the registration form, will I be kicked off the voter rolls?
No! Your voter record will not be changed if you do not send back the provided registration form. This is just a reminder to voters that their signature should be kept up to date, and an opportunity to do so.
Q: I vote in every election and sign the signature pad. Why isn’t my signature updated?
When voting in person, your signature from the signature pad does not replace your main signature on file, which is taken from your voter registration application or DMV — depending on where/how you registered or updated your information.
When signing the signature pad, many voters do not sign exactly how they normally would. The signature pad signatures from early voting and Election Day are uploaded and stored in our system and can be utilized if needed. It is best to update your signature every few years using a Florida voter registration application.
Q: What does my driver’s license number have to do with voting?
To register to vote in Florida, voters are required to provide either their Florida driver’s license number, Florida identification card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
The elections office used this letter as an opportunity to remind voters who submitted their Florida driver’s license number when registered that if they renewed or replaced their license in the past year, that number may have changed. If it has changed, it will need to be updated with our office as well.
Q: If I renew or replace my Florida driver’s license right before an election, does that mean I need to fill out an application before going to vote?
When updating or renewing your Florida driver’s license with the DMV, you will be asked if you would like to update your voter registration information. If you say yes, your information will automatically be updated with the elections office!
Still have questions? Call the elections office Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 904-823-2238. My staff and I look forward to hearing from you.
