Miami-Dade will be sending out some 330,000 vote-by-mail ballots.NBC 6’s Steve Litz gives a glimpse into what it looks like to vote during a pandemic.
There are about 100 days until Floridians decide if President Trump deserves another term in office or if Joe Biden should be America’s next president.
There will be plenty of activity is the run up to Election Day.
Thursday, for instance, Miami-Dade elections workers will mail out some 330,000 vote-by-mail ballots. And those are record numbers.
“The last largest initial drop we did was for a presidential election and it was around 310,000, so we’ve already surpassed what the initial mail drop is,” said Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Christina White. “Will it end up exceeding presidential election volume at the end? We don’t know."
August 18 is primary election day, when voters will select party nominees for the US House of Representatives and State Attorney.
Voters will also decide on non-partisan races like county mayor, school board and judges. The deadline to register for that election is Monday, July 20.
NSU Political Science Professor Charles Zelden said voters’ approach to elections comes with a new zeal.
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“Over time we sort of gotten into the status situation where both sides really do feel like it is a death match and a loss is the end of all,” said Zelden.
Things will be different at voting sites. Most noticeably health and safety measures, like hand sanitizers, social distancing and poll workers in full personal protective gear.
“I don’t want this pandemic that we are dealing with to turn any voters off,” White said. “You have three ways to vote, whichever is more comfortable, just make sure that you participate. It is a very important election."
Voters can cast ballots by mail, at an early voting site or at their precincts on Election Day.
