Community members are registering new voters in Sarasota County
Jessika Ward
SARASOTA— On March 17, 2020 Florida Democrats who are registered to vote before February 18, 2020 will head to the polls to vote for a Democratic presidential candidate in the Democratic Primary and On November 3, 2020 people across the country will line up at the polls in their designated precincts to vote for the President of the United States.
Community member in Sarasota have decided not to patiently wait for both election dates, but move with action until the day arrives. In Sarasota, organizers and concerned volunteers are registering their neighbors and fellow citizens to vote. Jetson Grimes, a barber, community activist, organizer and native of Sarasota, spearheads an initiative to get community members registered to vote. On Saturdays from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Grimes and volunteers meet at 2729 Osprey Avenue next to the Goodwill and Jetson’s CreativeTrend to register new voters.
“We have registered probably about 500 people in the last year and about 5-6 people volunteer each day,” said Grimes. “We’ve been doing it for 3 years. We canvas people who are not registered.”
This list of unregistered voters includes formerly incarcerated people who will be allowed to vote for the first time in United States history. The Voting Restoration Amendment restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation. The amendment does not include people who have been convicted of murder or sexual offenses.
“Amendment 4, they have a right to vote now. Florida used to be a state where they couldn’t. The more people who vote the system works, the less people who vote the system does not work,” said Grimes. “Looking at it from a democratic aspect, this can be really helpful.”
According to the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections, in order to register to vote in Florida, one must be 18 years old, a citizen of the United States of America, a Florida resident, not mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state, not have been convicted of a felony without their right to vote having been restored, and one must provide their current and valid Florida driver’s license number or Florida identification card number.
If a persons registering to vote does not have a Florida driver’s license, this person must provide the last four of their Social Security number if they do not have a Florida driver license number or a Florida identification card number. If you have not been issued any of these items, you must
write “NONE”; in the box indicated on the Voter Registration Application.
Florida residents may now apply to register to vote or update their existing voter registration record online by visiting RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov .
People interested in volunteering are encouraged to join Jetson Grimes and other volunteers on Saturdays
