Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays is warning residents about potentially misleading materials that they may receive in the mail. These mail-outs are addressed to informal names, children under voting age, pets and deceased family members, and often include Florida voter registration applications with pre-filled information.

These letters originate from the Center for Voter Information (CVI) and its sister companies, organizations not associated with the Florida Division of Elections or the Lake County Supervisor of Elections Office, a news release states. The CVI generates address lists for these mailings from outdated and often incorrect data, which can lead to confusion regarding eligibility for voting, especially among voters who are already registered.

Lake County voters who know they are registered are urged to confirm their voter record by using the Voter Information Lookup Tool on the supervisor of elections website, lakevotes.com, or by calling the office at 352.343.9734.

Voters should not rely on the information printed on these pre-filled, mailed-out applications. Voters also are encouraged to contact the Center for Voter Information and ask to be taken off its contact list by mailing a letter to 800 Ocala Road, Suite 318, Tallahassee, FL 32304, or by calling 866.290.1599.

“It is so important for voters to utilize our office as a resource for accurate information regarding their record, instead of unaffiliated groups who may not have up-to-date information,” Alan says in the release. “We welcome your questions and want to assist everyone with their voter services needs.”

If you’re not registered to vote, registering in person is the best way to confirm that the application is received and that information is correct. To register or update voting records, the Florida Division of Elections online portal is available at registertovoteflorida.gov. Otherwise, applicants may obtain voter registration forms at the Lake County Supervisor of Elections Office, 1898 E. Burleigh Blvd., Tavares; area libraries and tax collector’s driver’s license offices.

The voter registration deadline is Feb. 18 for the 2020 Presidential Preference Primary slated for March 17. Anyone wishing to register or update their party affiliation must do so by the book closing date. Polls will be open from 7am-7pm on Election Day.

This election is a closed primary, meaning only voters registered with a major party will be eligible to vote. The exceptions are in the cities of Eustis and Groveland, which have initiatives on the ballot. Registered voters who live within the city limits of those two cities will be eligible to vote on those items regardless of party affiliation.