New Year's Must-Do's: Register for Presidential Preference Primary

Want to change your party affiliation? Looking to cast a vote in next month's statewide presidential preference primary?

Keep in mind, then, that the clock is ticking.

New voter and change-of-party registrations must be postmarked by Jan. 3. The deadline to register in person is Jan. 3 at 5 p.m.

As residents of a “closed primary” state, Floridians must be registered members of a political party to vote for that party’s candidate in the primary.

That means residents must be registered members of the Republican Party to vote for the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in the Jan. 31 primary election.

(This year there is no contested Democratic primary, as President Barack Obama has no serious challenger.)

Electors who previously have registered with the Republican Party do not need to re-register, according to a news release from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office.

To verify your voter information, visit www.VoteHillsborough.org and click, “My Registration Status.” Visit the site’s “Register To Vote” page to link to a printable voter registration application.

To register in person, visit the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office, on the 16th floor of the Fred B. Karl County Center in Tampa, at 601 East Kennedy Blvd. Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call: 813-272-5850.

Closer to home, in the Greater Brandon area, is the Robert L. Gilder Elections Servire Center, at 2514 North Falkenburg Road. Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call: 813-744-5900.

Register as well at the or any other public library. The Brandon library shares space with the Center Place Fine Arts & Regional Center in the Sandy Rodriguez Center, at 619 Vonderburg Drive.

For other locations to register, or for more information, visit www.VoteHillsborough.org.

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From the Florida Division of Elections, here's a list of upcoming election dates:

2012 Election Dates

• Presidential Preference Primary: January 31, 2012
• Primary Election: August 14, 2012
• General Election: November 6, 2012

2012 Qualifying Dates

• Judicial, State Attorney and Public Defender
  Noon, April 16, 2012 – Noon, April 20, 2012
• Federal, Statewide, Multi-county, County, District and Political Party Executive Committee
  Noon, June 4, 2012 – Noon, June 8, 2012
• Write-in candidates for President and Vice President
  8 a.m., June 18, 2012 – Noon, June 26, 2012

2012 Registration Book Closing Dates:

• Presidential Preference Primary: January 3, 2012
• Primary Election: July 16, 2012
• General Election: October 9, 2012