DORAL, Fla. – Voters across South Florida headed to the polls early Tuesday morning, with lines forming even before doors opened at 7 a.m. as residents turned out for the final day to cast their ballots.
Michael Green, who brought his daughter Maia along to experience voting firsthand, said it was an important moment for them.
“Good to go … very important .. a lot of people have sacrificed too much for our right to vote, so I wanted to teach my daughter about it early,” Green said.
Local 10′s Glenna Milberg visited Doral on Monday where she observed the extensive logistics involved in setting up more than 1,000 polling places across the two counties.
In South Florida, over half of registered voters have already participated in early voting, suggesting that lines at precincts may be manageable on Election Day.
6 p.m. report:
Polling locations like Precinct #24 in Miami Beach set up in a local school auditorium were fully prepared for the Election Day crowds.
Election workers readied keys, scanners, and other equipment to ensure a smooth process for voters.
First-time voter Viviana Marin expressed her excitement to Local 10′s Annaliese Garcia “I’m so happy because I live here now, and now I can add to the decisions that can change this country.”
Marin’s husband echoed her enthusiasm, emphasizing the importance of being informed. “Definitely good to be an informed voter,” he said.
Oscar Ospino, who cast his ballot at the Coral Gables Library, said he made sure to come prepared.
“A lot of amendments and things on the ballot … thankfully I was able to review it. If you don’t have a chance to review it, it can be overwhelming,” he said.
Some team members have been at the polling place for decades, long before early voting became more popular than in-person voting.
Michael Harris, a veteran election worker, explained, “We used to have maybe 1,000 voters on presidential elections, then it went down to 800 since early voting started, then 700, then 500, then 400.” Similar trends are seen in Broward County, where six out of ten voters have already cast their ballots.
“We’re just getting everything set up and making the final preparations to make sure that we’re prepared to open,” added another elections veteran.
Reflecting on the evolution of voting, one worker said, “I’ve been doing this since the hanging chads.” When asked if he misses them, he replied, “No, this is much, much better.”
The outdated chads and dots from punch card voting have been replaced by scannable paper ballots, which will be processed through thousands of machines, including those at the Coral Gables Library site.
Meanwhile, a group from a political club in Buenos Aires observed the vote-by-mail counting process. Liliana Paniagua Molina noted, “How the judges check the signatures, and it was very interesting. It’s not so easy as we thought.”
When asked if they found any mismatches, Paniagua Molina confirmed, “Yes, a lot.”
While these observations are anecdotal, officials emphasized that signature matching is a critical part of election security. If a signature does not match, there is a process in place to notify voters to correct any issues, ensuring that their votes can be counted.
Election security remains a top focus this season, with officials working diligently to ensure a transparent and secure voting process.
The Homestead Police Department continues to encourage community vigilance and engagement on Election Day, emphasizing the power of a well-informed and active electorate.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I know if I am registered to vote?
Search this database online to look up voter information.
What is the deadline to return a vote-by-mail ballot?
7 p.m., Nov. 5
Who handles the process?
The Supervisor of Elections in the county of residence. Search this database to find the supervisor in your area.
Useful links
- Visit the Florida Division of Elections page
- For more information about federal election guidelines, visit this page.
- For more information about ballot intake stations, visit this page.