MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Early voting is in full swing across South Florida, with several organizations helping the community get out and vote.
Elizabeth Judd, one of the organizers of a large-scale caravan, said, “We are having a caravan and the idea is to let the community know—wake them up—get out and vote, you know.”
The caravan is crisscrossing Miami-Dade on Saturday to generate excitement for early voting. “Our caravan is going to be going through Miami Gardens, Opa-Locka, we are going to be at the cultural center in Miami, we are going to be going through Aventura, North Miami, so we are a big caravan,” Judd adds.
The drive aims to reach not so much the undecided, but perhaps the unmotivated.
Sean Forman, a political scientist from Barry University, notes, “It has become a big deal to rally voters and get them out to vote, especially while they are around like-minded people.”
Forman explains, “This gives those committed party people a chance to talk to their friends and neighbors who may not be convinced to vote.”
Set against the backdrop of a top-of-ticket neck-and-neck race, Forman further comments, “Many people are thinking this is going to be a base election, that is, that the base Democrats and Republicans are sure to turn out for their parties, but we are not as certain that the people who are not committed to a party are going to show up. The ones who are lukewarm to one side or another may have incentives not to vote because of how negative this campaign has been and how a lot of people have concerns about both people at the top of the ticket.”
As of Friday, in-person early voting numbers were lagging behind 2020.
Forman states, “So far, Democrats have had lackluster turnout compared to past elections, so that is a troubling sign for them just looking at those early numbers.”
Elizabeth Judd emphasizes, “It is a dead heat, and that is one of the reasons why we need to do something.”
Forman points out that the impact of early voting could extend beyond the presidential race, particularly in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
As we head into the first weekend of in-person early voting, several groups are hosting “Souls to the Polls” events.
Judd explains, “Souls to the Polls is historical because it is more of an NAACP effort to encourage the Black community to come out to vote.”
According to Rice University, “The ‘Souls to the Polls’ movement began in Florida during the 1990s. The concept was to organize caravans after church service on the Sunday prior to Election Day to transport Black congregants to early voting locations. By the early 2000s, the NAACP, Black denominations and other organizations had transformed “Souls to the Polls” into a national movement.”
Faith in Florida is working with churches across the state to host early voting events, including one at a south Broward worship center on Sunday.
Take, for example, Faith in Florida, which is working with churches across the state to host early voting events.
Those are being held from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Koinonia Worship Center & Village at 4900 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. in Pembroke Park and 1 to 3 p.m. at the South Dade Regional Library, located at 10750 SW 211th St. in Cutler Bay.
Republicans will be holding a rally at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Rebeca Sosa Multipurpose Facility at 1700 SW 62nd Ave. in West Miami.
Forman observes, “Traditionally been organized around Black churches, but I think now we see that all religious organizations are using this idea of motivating their parishioners.”
He continues, “So while it has typically helped Democrats in the past, I think this year, all people are trying to get out and vote early, so I don’t really think it is going to give advantage to one party over another.”
Forman concludes, “So what an event like ‘Souls to the Polls’ does is it allows you to reach out to other voters who may not have been certain they were going to vote,” providing “a chance to get voters who may not show up to the polls otherwise, but when they get that extra nudge on Sunday, it helps their side.”