To change your party affiliation in Florida, submit an updated Florida Voter Registration Application (form DS-DE 39) to your county Supervisor of Elections. You can file it online, by mail, or in person. Because Florida runs a closed primary, the change must be on record 29 days before a primary election for you to vote that party’s ballot.
How to Submit the Change
Online
The fastest option is the Florida Online Voter Registration System at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov. To finish entirely online you need your Florida driver’s license or state ID number, the issue date on that card, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.1Florida Department of State. Florida Online Voter Registration System Without all three, the site will still let you pre-fill the application, but you’ll have to print, sign, and submit it another way.
By Mail or In Person
Download form DS-DE 39 from the Division of Elections website, or pick up a paper copy at your county Supervisor of Elections office or a public library.2Florida Department of State. Florida Voter Registration Application (DS-DE 39) Mail the completed, signed form to your county Supervisor or drop it off in person. The change is not official until the Supervisor processes it, so give yourself lead time if a primary is coming up. If you mail it, the postmark date matters for any deadline.
At the DMV
When you visit a Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office to apply for, renew, or change the address on your license or state ID, staff must offer you the chance to register or update your registration. A party change through the DMV is not automatic. You have to specifically designate the new party and give separate written consent. A routine address change at the DMV will not touch your party affiliation unless you take that extra step.3Florida House of Representatives. Florida Code 97.057 – Voter Registration by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
What Goes on the Form
DS-DE 39 is the same form used for new registrations and updates. Check the box marking it as a change to an existing record. Fill in your full legal name, residential address (not a P.O. Box), date of birth, and either your Florida driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Include your voter registration number if you have it. In the party section, select the new party you want, or choose “No Party Affiliation” if you’d rather not register with one.
Florida recognizes more than a dozen parties beyond the Republican and Democratic parties, including the Libertarian Party, Green Party, Constitution Party, and Independent Party. The recognized list changes over time, so check the Division of Elections site or your county Supervisor for the current options.
The 29-Day Deadline Before a Primary
Florida is a closed primary state. Only voters registered with a party can vote that party’s primary ballot. If you’re registered with no party affiliation, you can still vote on nonpartisan races and ballot questions in a primary, but you sit out the party contests.
You can request a party change any time of year, but for it to affect an upcoming primary, the change has to be recorded before the registration books close. State law closes the books 29 days before each election. If day 29 falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, the deadline shifts to the next business day.4Florida Senate. Florida Code 97.055 – Registration Books When Closed for an Election
A change filed after the book-closing deadline will not take effect for that primary. You’ll still be able to vote on nonpartisan items on the ballot, and your new affiliation kicks in after the primary is over. One nuance: the book-closing restriction on party changes applies to elections that nominate party candidates. For a general or special election that isn’t a party nomination contest, a party change filed during the closed period can still take effect for that election.4Florida Senate. Florida Code 97.055 – Registration Books When Closed for an Election
The primary deadline is the one that catches most people off guard. If you’re cutting it close, submit online rather than by mail.
Confirming It Went Through
After you submit, verify the change on the Voter Information Lookup tool at the Florida Division of Elections website. Search by name and date of birth and check that your party matches what you requested. Updates usually appear within one to two business days, though it takes longer during the rush right before books close.5Florida Department of State. Voter Information Lookup
If your record still shows the old party after a reasonable wait, contact your county Supervisor of Elections or call the state Voter Assistance Hotline at 1-866-308-6739. Once the update is processed, your county office will mail you a new voter information card showing the change.