VOTING WITH A CRIMINAL
RECORD IN FLORIDA
Determining Someone’s Eligibility to Register
and Vote Under Amendment 4 and SB 7066
What are voting rights in Florida?
Citizens 18 years and older have the right to
register and then vote.
You lose the right to vote in Florida if you
are convicted of a felony until you finish your
sentence, including prison, parole and/or
probation, and pay the money you were ordered
to pay by a court when you were convicted.
Did you lose your voting rights
because of a criminal conviction?
If you were convicted of a felony within the state
of Florida:
You lose your voting rights only for a felony
conviction, and only while serving your sentence.
Florida law has included in your sentence
paying off “legal financial obligations” (LFOs),
which may include “fines,” “fees,” “costs,” and
“restitution” related to your felony conviction.
You lose your voting rights if you pleaded guilty
or received a guilty verdict after trial. You lose
your voting rights when sentenced following
your plea or verdict.
If the court has “withheld adjudication,” that
means you were not sentenced and you have
not lost your voting rights. But if the court later
convicts you, then you lose your voting rights.
You regain voting rights after you complete
your sentence, including prison, parole and/or
probation, and pay off your LFOs.
Exception: if you received a conviction for
murder or a felony sexual offense, you do not
regain your voting rights. Instead, you have to
apply for clemency.
You can register and vote now if:
You were convicted of a misdemeanor (and are
not currently on probation or parole or owe any
money for a felony conviction).
You are in jail for a misdemeanor (and are
not currently on probation or parole or owe any
money for a felony conviction).
You are in jail awaiting trial (and are not
currently on probation or parole or owe any
money for a felony conviction).
This card is a resource, not legal advice.
It is provided for informational purposes
and not as a substitute or supplement
to legal advice necessary to address
individuals’ specific concerns.
Published August 2022
If you were convicted of a felony
in another state:
If you were convicted outside Florida, your
voting rights are governed by the state where
you were convicted. In many other states, you
automatically regain your voting rights when
released from prison or complete probation/
parole.
You should research your voting rights in
the state of your conviction. Here are two
websites to assist you in this research: Criminal
Disenfranchisement Laws Across the United
States | Brennan Center for Justice & Restore
Your Vote: I have a felony conviction. Can I
vote? | Campaign Legal Center.
Exception: if you were convicted in another
state of murder or sexual conduct that would
be a felony in Florida, your voting rights are
governed by Florida law.
Florida law may change after the publication of
this card. Therefore, it is your responsibility
to determine how all applicable laws concerning
voter registration, voting, and the restoration
of voting rights in Florida affect you.
Need help restoring your voting rights
or paying off your LFOs?
There may be ways to reduce or eliminate the
amount you have to pay.
The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
may provide referrals to free legal assistance
or have funds to help pay your LFOs. You
can contact FRRC by calling 407-901-3749 or
emailing info@floridarrc.org.
You may be able to convert your LFOs to
community service.
You can seek forgiveness for your restitution
obligations.
If you aren’t sure how much you owe, you can
request a “declaratory statement” or “advisory
opinion” from the Florida Division of Elections.
If you’ve registered and your Florida county
supervisor of elections wants to remove your
voting rights, you have the right to a hearing and
explanation of their reasoning.
If you need help asserting your rights, the
League of Women Voters of Florida can
provide free legal assistance. Call them at 407-
710-5496 or email canivote@lwvfl.org.
Quick Contacts:
League of Women Voters
of Florida (LWV)
(t) 407-710-5496
(e) canivote@lwvfl.org
The Florida Rights
Restoration Coalition (FRRC)
(t) 407-901-3749
(e) info@floridarrc.org
This card is a resource,
not legal advice.
Photo by Scott McIntyre for The Washington Post via Getty Images
