What to Know
- Voters are able to cast their ballots at locations across Miami-Dade and Broward counties from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Florida Division of Elections website reports more registered Democrats have voted than Republicans in South Florida so far
- Officials say more than 320,000 mail-in ballots requested have not been returned in Miami-Dade and Broward combined
Tuesday brings Election Day across the country as voters who did not send in their ballot by mail or vote early get a chance to cast their ballots - something a record number of voters did already in one South Florida county.
Voters will be able to cast their ballots at locations across Miami-Dade and Broward counties starting at 7 a.m. and ending at 7 p.m.
In Cutler Bay Tuesday morning, Gayle and Eric Sheeder said they had no issues voting.
"It’s not crowded at all on the day of voting, it’s more crowded, I noticed, early voting," Gayle Sheeder said.
Khalifa Lewis was a first-time voter Tuesday.
"It felt good," Lewis said. "Like I have a say-so in the country."
Local
If you still haven't cast your ballot, make sure you check out NBC 6's guides to early voting, election day and the 2020 Florida ballot. If you see any problems at your polling place, click here to fill out a form. Our team will look into your complaint and contact you.
“This election is historic,” said Miami-Dade’s supervisor of elections Christina White, who added that over one million people voted early in the 2020 election - surpassing the total number of voters in 2016.
In Broward, nearly 64% of registered voters had cast their ballot by Tuesday.
“Vote, vote, vote,” said county mayor Dale Holness. “Whichever way you do it, go out and vote.”
Local leaders and candidates made their final pushes Monday, including former President Barack Obama near the campus of FIU stumping for Democratic nominee Joe Biden - one day after President Donald Trump made his final South Florida stop at an event at Opa-locka airport.
“This is not one of those to sit out,” said Miami-Dade Mayor candidate Steve Bovo. “I think the impact is going to be measured not just on the national level, but I think from the local level.”
The Florida Division of Elections website reports more registered Democrats have voted than Republicans in South Florida so far. However, the GOP anticipates a higher turnout on Election Day.
Officials say more than 320,000 mail-in ballots requested have not been returned in Miami-Dade and Broward combined.
“If you have a mail-in ballot that you have not yet delivered, please take it,” said Daniella Levne Cava, who is running against Bovo.
“Best bet is go to your precinct, turn it in and they’ll destroy it and give you another ballot,” Bovo added. “Clearly, don’t send it in because it’s not going to count.”
Tension surrounding this election is palpable. Police realize that, so they’re trying their best to lower the anxiety level among voters.
The chief of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department showed us on Monday their real-time crime center, a room full of screens on which officers can see what dozens of surveillance cameras around the city are seeing, in an effort to sow confidence with the public.
“Voters should be completely confident that we’re gonna protect their right to vote, we are not gonna allow any intimidation, any suppression of anybody’s vote regardless of who they’re voting for,” said Chief Karen Dietrich, who said her department is cooperating with other law enforcement agencies in this effort.
The Department of Justice, for example, is sending monitors to Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
“So go out and vote, and we’re gonna make sure that we do our job to keep you safe and everything’s gonna be fine,” said Chief Jorge Colina of the Miami Police Department.
