The deadline for voter registration for the March 19 local election was Tuesday, which means less than a month stands between voters and the ballots.
Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Pam Carpenter said the number of registered voters this election season has increased. She said the rise is not out of the ordinary.
"We always see a large increase in our voter registration numbers in a presidential election year," she said.
In the upcoming local election, Carpenter said there are two main things residents will be voting on: the mayor and the charter amendment, which proposes lengthening the elected mayor's term of office and changing when and how often local elections are held.
Only voters living within District 4 are eligible to vote for the District 4 city commissioner, the last item on the ballot.
Before people head to the polls, Carpenter said they need to make sure their voter information is up to date. She said contact information -- like current address -- needs to be accurate because Florida law requires that one votes in the precinct of his or her residence.
Voters can update their information online or over the phone by calling the Supervisor of Elections office at (352) 374-5252.
For people with questions about their individual voting process, Carpenter said signing on to the Supervisor of Elections website will provide one with all personal voting information for his or her precinct, including a photo of the location, the address and an accompanying map.
"It will also allow you to look at your sample ballot," she said.
Carpenter said absentee ballots are available for voters who cannot make it to the polls on election day.
"If you're choosing to vote absentee, you need to make sure that we have your most current signature on file," she said.
Carpenter said this is needed so poll workers will match the signature on the ballot to the one they have on file when voters send in their signed absentee ballots.
"All ballots must be received by the supervisor of elections by 7 p.m. on election night," she said.