It is the second week of early voting here in South Florida.

Alaska’s new electoral system — with open primaries and ranked-choice voting — has been a model for voters in other states who are frustrated by political polarization and a sense that voters lack real choice at the ballot box.

Here are some examples of strange ways elections were decided.

A Georgia appeals court ruling means that counties can offer early voting this coming Saturday in the U.S. Senate runoff election between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker.

A judge has ruled that Georgia law allows counties to offer early voting on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Results are still being finalized in key congressional and state legislature races across the country, but one thing that became clear overnight is that the 2022 midterm elections were not the red wave of Republican wins many pundits forecasted.

In case you’ve been living under a rock these last few weeks, today is election day!

One day before the midterm elections, candidates hoping to woo Floridians made their final push for votes Monday.

Much of the focus has shifted to the Senate, specifically a few select races that will decide control.

Voters can go to various locations across Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties to cast their ballots starting Monday.

Here’s an overview of where things stand in the Senate and House of Representatives with the election more than a month away.

Sunday is the last day to cast your vote in early elections.

What do those terms mean and how have they become an issue for how elections are covered? An expert weighs in.

Seven senators are now at least 80 years old, with four of those members being older than 85. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is 78 years old and was just elected to serve another term. “I think you can absolutely make that case.”Are there solutions to bring in younger candidates? “There’s less of a pull for younger candidates,” Dulio said. “I think it would take a concerted effort on the part of the political parties to recruit younger candidates,” Dulio said.

Here are some photos of Trump supporters in protest, courtesy of Getty Images. (Getty Images)Trump supporters in Phoenix, Arizona. (Getty Images)Photo by John Moore (Getty Images)Trump supporters in Lansing, Michigan. (Getty Images)Trump supporters in Phoenix, Arizona. (Getty Images)Trump supporters in Phoenix, Arizona.

With the news that Joe Biden had defeated President Donald Trump in this year’s presidential election after days of counting votes, supporters of Biden took to the streets to celebrate. Here are some photos of Biden supporters celebrating his win, courtesy of Getty Images. Photo by Stephanie Keith (Getty Images)Biden supporters in Minneapolis. (Getty Images)Biden supporters in Philadelphia. (Getty Images)Biden supporters in Philadelphia.

Even though the final figures still have to be tabulated, it appears the 2020 general election is already a record-setting one. As of Wednesday morning, there were an all-time high of 160,002,000 total votes cast, according to the United States Election Project. In terms of turnout as a percentage of the voting-eligible population, that number is higher than it’s been in more than 100 years. The turnout as a percentage of the voting-eligible population for this election was 66.9% as of Wednesday morning, according to the United States Election Project. That’s the highest percentage of VEP turnout since 1900, when the number was 73.7%.

Even though the final figures still have to be tabulated, it appears the 2020 general election is already a record-setting one. As of Wednesday morning, there were an all-time high of 160,002,000 total votes cast, according to the United States Election Project. In terms of turnout as a percentage of the voting-eligible population, that number is higher than it’s been in more than 100 years. The turnout as a percentage of the voting-eligible population for this election was 66.9% as of Wednesday morning, according to the United States Election Project. That’s the highest percentage of VEP turnout since 1900, when the number was 73.7%.

(Automatic Voting Machine Co/PhotoQuest/Getty Images)A hand as it inserts a ballot into a box during the U.S. presidential election in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Nov. 2, 1948. (PhotoQuest/Getty Images)An over-the-shoulder view of an unidentified woman as she demonstrates how to use an IBM voting machine in 1966. The voter casts a ballot by punching holes in a card, which then drops into a ballot box. (Getty Images)A hand presses the switch, marking a selection in a 1970s-style voting machine. (Getty Images)A view showing empty voting booths during the Senate elections in 1986.

To see what exactly the ballot measures are in each state, click or tap here. Below are five noteworthy initiatives we thought we’d mention from across the country. Mississippi’s flag redesignThe state Legislature in June eliminated the old state flag that had the Confederate battle emblem, which was widely thought of as racist. California’s app-based driving proposalThis initiative will decide whether app-based transportation and delivery drivers are classified as independent contractors or as employees. Colorado’s abortion banThis is a ballot initiative that will likely draw a lot of attention across the nation.

We’ve heard of people out in droves who voted early or sent a mail-in ballot. Lines at early-voting precincts have had some crowds waiting hours -- but to cast a ballot, many find the time well-spent. Pflughoeft was fascinated with politics and determined to vote in the 2020 General Election, so she mailed in her ballot early. All the other states have various stipulations as to whether they will allow the ballot of a deceased person to count, such as when the person died and when the death is learned. However, if past elections are any indication, votes from people who pass away before Election Day generally don’t have an impact on the results, according USA Today.

Doesn’t support increasing capital gains taxes. Does not support federal legalization of recreational marijuana. Does not support federal legalization of recreational marijuana, but would decriminalize it. EducationTrumpDoes not support making public college tuition-free. Does not support federal funding to send students to rival schools.

As people head to polling places in the next day or so, the terms “poll watcher” and “poll challenger” will likely be tossed around at precincts. What a poll watcher isA poll watcher is someone appointed by the political parties or candidates to make sure their party has a fair chance of winning an election, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. What a poll challenger isA poll challenger is someone who can challenge whether a person is eligible to vote. Can the same people be poll watchers and poll challengers? Any poll watcher must be a “qualified and registered elector” in the county he or she wants to serve.

Is there a racial divide when it comes to voting wait times at precincts? In 2016, white voters waited an average of 10 minutes, according to a survey of voters conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In comparison, Black voters waited an average of 16 minutes and Latino voters were in line an average of 13 minutes, according to the survey. During the 2018 election, Black voters waited an average of 11.5 minutes, Latino voters an average of 11.7 minutes and white voters an average of 8.8 minutes, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. In precincts with 90% or more non-white voters, the average wait time was 32.4 minutes and the median was 13.3 minutes.

The COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over safety at polling places are causing more people to send in ballots via mail this year. In turn, due to cutbacks with the United States Postal Service that could cause delays, and the fact that mail-in ballots can take longer to count, there are additional fears for many over whether their ballots will be received and counted in time. For those who have mailed in a ballot before the election, the state of Florida has a simple way of monitoring it to see when it’s received. Visit this website and you can check on the status of your ballot by inputing the following information:Your first nameYour last nameYour date of birthThe deadline for the state to accept mail-in ballots is by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

But a majority of states have realized those concerns and have put in place tracking systems for people to monitor their votes, according to Business Insider. In 35 states, voters will have access to a tracking system by providing basic information such as name, address and date of birth. There are 12 additional states that not only will offer a tracking system for ballots for federal and state races, but also at the county and local level. Only three states, Mississippi, Missouri and Wyoming, don’t have ballot tracking systems at the state or county level. For further questions or information on how to track your mail-in ballot, visit your state or community elections website.

If you’re someone who prefers to vote in-person either before Election Day or on it, how long should you expect to wait in line? Below are three factors that will largely determine how long it will take for you to vote. Where you do itThe resources a voting district has will go a long way in determining how long you are there. In precincts with 90% or more non-white voters, the average wait time was 32.4 minutes and the median was 13.3 minutes. Whether you vote early or on Election DayWith the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to be an issue nationwide, more people are expected to vote early for this election.

But that fiasco could be nothing compared to this year’s election -- and not just regarding who is elected president. There will be more mail-in ballots submitted than ever. The United States Postal Service is struggling with financial issues, which could delay the mailing of ballots throughout the country, according to CNBC. In August, the USPS sent letters to 46 states and Washington, D.C. warning that some main-in ballots might not arrive in time to be counted by Election Day, according to the Washington Post. Mail-in ballots take longer to count.

If a mega-precinct is available, that means voters can cast their ballots on Election Day at any precinct in the jurisdiction, regardless of their home address. In addition, groups of people in the same jurisdiction who are friends or family but who don’t have the same voting location can vote together at a mega-precinct. Expenses on Election Day can be reduced with fewer locations to staff. There will be 19 NBA arenas turned into voting locations on Election Day, as well as the practice facility of the Detroit Pistons. For a full list of NBA arenas that will be used on Election Day, according to NBA.com, click or tap here.

Early voting in Florida began Monday, Oct. 19, and continues through Nov. 1 ahead of the 2020 General Election. There are 22 early polling locations in Broward County, 33 in Miami-Dade County, and 5 in Monroe County. EARLY ELECTION SITES/BROWARD COUNTYThere are 22 early voting locations in Broward County. EARLY ELECTION SITES/MIAMI-DADE COUNTYThere are 33 early voting locations in Miami-Dade County. Check early election locations and times in>GET ELECTION READY: For complete information and resources, visit Local 10′s 2020 Voter Guide.

It’s amazing how some tiny oval stickers have become just as synonymous with Election Day as registration cards, voting precincts and the terms “blue state” and “red state.”

Really -- did you realize, in some areas, early voting begins in the next week? Some areas have opted out of in-person voting altogether -- Connecticut, Mississippi and South Carolina, to name a few -- but many are still encouraging early voting. People are opting to vote early — where they’re able — due to factors including coronavirus fears and doubts about the reliability of voting by mail. As more people are interested in voting by mail, only about 30% say they are “very confident” their mail-in vote will be counted accurately, according to the poll. Below is a breakdown of how voting is being handled in each state across the U.S.Scroll over the map below to see which states are opening early voting.

Women wearing masks pose behind a voter registration table in Union Square as the city continues Phase 4 of re-opening following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on August 09, 2020 in New York City. Photo by Alexi RosenfeldAug. 18 marked the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified, which changed elections forever. The 19th Amendment prohibits the state and federal government from denying the right of citizens to vote based on sex -- meaning, women became eligible to vote after previous years of discrimination at the polls. Since 1980, more women have voted in each presidential election than men, according to Statista. So, how much of a gap has there been between women and men voters in each presidential election of the century?

Restrictions and types of early voting vary by state, but 40 states and the District of Columbia do offer some form of early voting. Turning in ballots at a local election office or polling locationJust about every state allows voters to bring ballots in person to turn them in at local election offices. If you’re not close to a local election office to turn in a ballot, some states allow ballots to be turned in to alternate locations or the polling locations. New Hampshire and Vermont allow voters to return ballots to a polling place. Drop boxesThese are special containers that allow voters to drop off absentee or mail-in ballots in sealed envelopes.

Many people in Florida opted in for early voting, possibly to skip the long lines on primary day or for a whole slew of other reasons. But what are you supposed to do if you voted early for a candidate who has already dropped out -- before Florida’s primary on March 17? And anyone who votes for that person will have his or her vote count -- as in, a vote for that candidate. Many states follow this same rule, but there are a few places that will let you have a re-do if your candidate dropped out before the primary. As you can see from this primary alone, many candidates drop out right before or directly after the juggernaut primary day.

These are the types of voting ballots and equipment used throughout the country, according to Ballotpedia:• Optical Scan Paper Ballot Systems: Voters mark their votes by filling in an oval, box, or similar shape on a paper ballot. Paper ballots are later scanned either at the polling place or at a central location. • Ballot Marking Devices and Systems: These systems are designed to help disabled voters who might be unable to vote using other methods. Rather than recording the vote into the computer’s memory, the ballot is instead marked on paper and later tabulated manually. • Punch Card Voting Systems: These devices employ a paper card and a small clipboard device.