Without a presidential election or hot-button issue to drive voters to the polls, Tuesday's voter turnout is expected to be less than enthusiastic in Miami Beach.

As of Thursday morning, 408 voters had come to Miami Beach polls during three days of early voting, and of the more than 7,200 absentee ballots sent out, 2,046 had been turned in by the middle of last week.

Miami-Dade county records show that 46,000 voters are registered to vote in the city.

For those who do show up, they will cast ballots for mayor, three commission seats, and decide the fate of four ballot questions.

In the race for mayor, Mayor Matti Herrera Bower is running for reelection against Raphael Herman, an eccentric real estate broker, and Laura Rivero Levey, an education activist.

Incumbent Commissioner Jerry Libbin is running for a second and final term as the city's Group 1 representative, squaring off with businessman and political newcomer Oduardo Segui.

In the Group 2 race, insurance executive Jorge Exposito, corporate attorney Maria Mayer, and Realtor Sherry Roberts are vying for termed-out Commissioner Saul Gross' seat.

Group 3 Commissioner Victor Diaz Jr. isn't running for election after being appointed to his post a year ago, leaving the seat open for either 23-year-old Alex Fernandez, community association attorney Michael Góngora or property manager Gabrielle Redfern.

Any race in which a candidate fails to secure more than 50 percent of the vote will be headed for a Nov. 17 runoff between the top two vote-getters.

Voters will also be able to opine on whether to amend the city's charter, including:.

• Whether the city's Citizen's Bill of Rights should include language that holds employees and elected officials to codes of ethical conduct and penalties currently in the charter.

• Whether to require voter approval or unanimous commission approval for the sale or transfer of street-ends bordering land zoned for government use, golf courses, or waterfront land.

• Whether to require that six out of seven commissioners must approve of the transfer or sale, or lease of 10 years or more of land that, under the charter, does not require voter approval.

• Whether to require voter approval for any commission decision to waive a 175-parking space requirement for the New World Symphony or extend a five-year period in which the organization has been allowed to use a city garage for those spaces.

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