Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Robert D. Bender is warning residents about voter registration mailings arriving from an outside organization—and urging anyone who receives one to stop before filling it out.
- What? Nearly 2,825 Escambia County residents will receive letters from the Voter Participation Center over the next week. Each envelope contains a voter registration application form and a return envelope addressed to the Elections Office. While the mailing looks official, the Voter Participation Center has no affiliation with the Escambia County Elections Office or any government agency.
Other Florida elections offices have already flagged a troubling pattern—applications arriving for deceased family members, minor children and even pets. Beyond the confusion, the mailers pose a specific risk for residents who have lost their voting rights due to a felony conviction, potentially misleading them into believing their eligibility has been restored when it has not.
Bender’s Warning to Voters
Supervisor Bender was direct in his message to residents: “I would encourage anyone who receives this mailing to contact our office before completing a voter registration application.”
- He also reassured voters that the Elections Office stays on top of the rolls through established channels. “I want to assure Escambia County voters we are continually updating our voter rolls with information we receive from multiple sources, including the State of Florida and the Clerk of the Court, regarding voter eligibility,” Bender stated. “Our staff diligently researches the information received and, based on statutory guidelines, updates or removes voters, as required by law.”
How to Check Your Registration
Voters can verify their official registration status at escambiavotes.gov/am-i-registered or by calling the Elections Office at (850) 595-3900. Those who need to register or update their information should use Florida’s official system at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov—not a third-party mailer.
- Residents who want to be removed from the Voter Participation Center’s mailing list can contact the organization directly at unsubscribe@voterparticipation.org or (757) 793-2671.