Voter registration deadline looms

PANAMA CITY — If you want to have a say in who represents Florida in Washington or Tallahassee, or whether sick people are allowed to use marijuana without being arrested, there's very little time remaining to register to vote.

Monday is the deadline for people to register to vote in the Nov. 4 elections, which will determine the next governor, representatives for the Florida and U.S. House of Representatives, attorney general, chief financial officer and commissioner of agriculture. The ballot will also ask voters whether to set aside funds for land and water conservation and whether to legalize marijuana for medical uses.

Voters who have already registered but need to update their information may do so over the phone, said Bay County Supervisor of Elections Mark Andersen. Those who have not previously registered to vote in Florida must fill out and return a voter registration form to the Supervisor of Elections' Office.

"If you're not registered, get registered," Andersen said. "And if your address and information is not correct, get it correct."

Voter registration forms are available online at bayvotes.org and at local government buildings. They can be returned through the mail, and any form postmarked by Monday will be accepted, but Andersen recommended the forms be returned directly to his office by hand. There is a drop-box for after-hours submissions.

"If you can get it to us directly, do that," Andersen said. Otherwise, drop it in the mail right away.

As was the case on the deadline to register for the primary election, Anderson's office will stay open until midnight on the deadline day, "so we give everybody the opportunity to get whatever they want to get to us."