Voters in Florida are being urged to double-check their driver’s license to avoid being blocked from receiving a vote-by-mail ballot due to a quiet change to state-issued IDs. A new security feature built into driver’s licenses could cause discrepancies in information with voter registration data. These discrepancies could be enough to prevent some residents from casting their vote by mail in the upcoming elections.
What Changed on Florida Licenses
On July 31, 2024, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles started to roll out driver’s licenses with a slightly different numbering system. The change added a two-digit code tied to the birth year of the holder. This change was meant to strengthen security to prevent identity theft.
Due to this change, all voters who received licenses from July 31, 2024, are supposed to update their voter registration. Failing to do so will prevent them from requesting a vote-by-mail ballot online because the system uses the license number to verify identity. A mismatch between the information on the voter’s records and the new driving license will trigger an error message, and the vote of the holder will be invalid.
It is important to note that the change does not affect those voting in person. This is because, on election day, poll workers rely on photo ID verification. Therefore, even if the number on the updated driver’s license fails to match the one on the voter’s records, the photo and name of the voter will be enough to confirm identity.
Why Florida Voters Need to Act Immediately
Voters are urged to check their driver’s license now and update their voter’s details because Palm Beach County is preparing for a special election in House District 90. This special election was called following the sudden passing of Democratic Representative Joe Casello on July 18, 2025. Here are the two elections that voters should prepare for:
- A special Republican primary is set for September 30, 2025.
- The special general election follows on December 9, 2025.
Election Officials Sound the Alarm
Supervisors of elections have warned voters to avoid the inconvenience caused by the newly updated driver’s licenses, which can prevent one from voting by mail.
Besides elections, Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland has warned that voters who use their new license number on a petition could be unsuccessful if they have not updated their registration details.
Various advocates have raised awareness and advised voters to take action themselves because the process is not automatic.
Update Your Information Now to Vote by Mail Safely
When updating details on voter’s records, Floridians should ensure they check the box that says “Yes” to updating voter information. Doing so will ensure that your new license number is forwarded to the elections office.
To prepare for the elections, you should also:
- Visit RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov and confirm your registration details.
- Contact your county Supervisor of Elections to verify your registration details.
- Remember to issue a vote-by-mail request at least 12 days before the election if you prefer the vote-by-mail option.
To ensure that voters in Florida, and more so in Palm Beach County, election offices are issuing press releases, newsletters, and postcards. However, there are voters in Florida, especially drivers renewing their licenses, who still say the changes have caught them off guard.
There are worries about the impact on marginalized groups. Some might fail to receive the news early enough to prepare for elections.
Conclusion
The change in driver’s licenses is a safety measure designed to protect identities. However, the change could affect one’s eligibility to vote by mail if they failed to sync their new license numbers with their voter records.
With the special elections for Palm Beach County around the corner, voters should actively check their registration details and update their details if they have received a new driver’s license number.