If you live in Florida, the primary election season is at its climax. This year is unlike any previous year because it’s all going on in the back drop of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The primary election is on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Today is the last day for early voting in Florida but I will focus in on Miami-Dade and Broward counties — two of the most populous counties in our state.
Despite health concerns, yes you can vote in person. I took my mother to vote early yesterday in Hialeah’s Early Voting site and there was only 4 people in line ahead of us. Poll workers wore face shields and there were large stickers on the floor to guide voters to distance socially from one another. Visibly, there were two, massive containers of hand sanitizer. Still, the proximity of the polling booths made me a little uneasy since the wellbeing of my 60+ year-old mother is of utmost importance to me. We brought our own pen and I encouraged her not to touch anything.
New this year, voters can drop off their vote-by-mail ballots in secure official county drop-off boxes. Each is located outside of one of the 23 early voting locations.
Broward early voting locations: https://www.browardsoe.org/Voting-Methods/Early-Voting-Location-Status-Times
Miami-Dade Early Voting locations: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1511962555914873
If you dropped off or mailed in your completed and signed ballot already, the same link that you use to find your voter information such as precinct, etc, also has the option to track your ballot: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser151187731708822&fbclid=IwAR2U0MbvWlHBXm7GyJuZ7Nl-0bVtGx5kLIfnbqUlyASwbDheqEPsjdBsLB8
Note: if you’re voting on Election Day, August 18th, you must vote at your assigned precint location which is on your Voter ID card, but can also be found at the voter information link above. You can also use the link to view your specific sample ballot, in case you have not seen which races and candidates you will be voting on.
Dropping off ballots, On Election Day only:Voters who received a vote-by-mail ballot by mail may return their own ballot to the Miami-Dade Elections Department at 2700 NW 87th Avenue, Miami, FL 33172
or to the Elections Department’s Branch Office (located in the lobby of the Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW 1st Street, Miami, FL 33128) no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Additional locations are available for a voter to return their vote-by-mail ballot:
North Dade Regional Library at 2455 NW 183rd Street, Miami Gardens, FL 33056
or
South Dade Regional Library at 10750 SW 211th Street, Cutler Bay, FL 33189.
If you have a VBM ballot and are nervous about the pandemic, you can still drop it off at one of those 4 locations Tues. August 18th(Election day).
Source: https://www.miamidade.gov/elections/library/instructions/vote-by-mail-ballot-return-policy-en.pdf
For BROWARD County folks, two locations, one in Ft. Lauderdale and the other in Lauderhill: https://www.browardsoe.org/Your-Election-Office/Office-Locations
Elections have consequences, and diligently researching the long list of candidates to make sure they uphold values we share like economic justice, racial justice, and so forth takes time. I’ll always encourage you to do your own research of facts and candidates, however… Check out the Women’s Movement Now (WMN Miami) voter guide for progressive candidates in the primary elections. Florida is a closed primary state, so we are talking to you Democrat & NPA voters in the guide. There are some universal primary /non-partisan races on the ballot. One of the most important nonpartisan races on the August ballot is Miami-Dade County mayor.
This was absolutely a labor of love, made possible with thanks to Krystina, Gaby, & Lutze. We understand that with everything going on, it can feel even more overwhelming than usual to determine who to vote for… not all candidates are the same. We took time to determine which candidates would be more progressive and more likely to be held accountable (listen to
constituents and our movements).
As always, I understand and respect that not everyone is eligible to vote. Voters, make sure that you vote with that in mind. Vote with compassion. Vote for candidates that share values like equity and social justice.