Live election updates: Here’s what’s happening in Florida with 1 day to go
We’re keeping track of the latest news regarding the campaigns, early voting and other political news in South Florida and around the state. Check back for updates throughout the day.
Here’s where to drop off your mail-in ballot in South Florida on Monday and Tuesday
2 p.m.: One day out from Election Day, more than 4.6 million Florida residents have voted by mail. But over 1.3 million voters who requested mail ballots have still yet to return them, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
In South Florida, local party leaders and activists are making a final push Monday and Tuesday to make sure voters don’t leave their mail ballots at home. And they’re urging people to drop off those ballots in person, rather than use a U.S. Postal Service mailbox and risk having their ballots arrive past the 7 p.m. Tuesday deadline.
The Miami-Dade Democratic Party put up signs and stationed volunteers at early voting sites throughout the county Monday to intercept voters who might mistakenly show up to try to drop off their mail ballots. Miami-Dade Republicans did not do quite the same but are pushing an outreach effort to get voters to the polls Tuesday.
In Miami-Dade, voters can bring their mail ballots to one of four locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: The Elections Department main office at 2700 Northwest 87th Ave., in Doral, Stephen P. Clark Government Center at 111 Northwest 1st Street in Miami, North Dade Regional Library at 2455 Northwest 183rd Street in Miami Gardens, and South Dade Regional Library at 10750 Southwest 211th Street in Cutler Bay.
In Broward County, voters can drop off their mail ballots at all hours until 7 p.m. Tuesday at one of two locations: the rear entrance of Lauderhill Mall Voting Equipment Center, 1501 N.W. 40th Ave., Lauderhill, and the Brickell Avenue entrance to the Supervisor of Elections office at 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale.
Read the story here.
Obama will visit South Florida on Monday, Biden campaign announces
9:55 a.m.: Former President Barack Obama swings through South Florida on Monday, the day before Election Day, to rally Democrats to vote for his former vice president, Joe Biden.
Read the story here.
Early votes have been counted. Who has the Florida advantage going into Election Day?
9:45 a.m.: For the first time in two weeks, Florida Democrats cast more ballots than Republicans on Sunday, helping Democratic nominee Joe Biden pad his advantage over President Donald Trump in the nation’s biggest battleground heading into Election Day.
That disparity helped Democrats build their advantage in ballots cast in the state up to 108,143 heading into Election Day.
For more numbers, including those in Miami-Dade, read the story here.
You can’t vote just anywhere on Election Day. Tips for voting on Tuesday
8:40 a.m.: If you are one of those people who will only vote on Election Day, you may be wondering what to expect.
Will there be hours-long lines? Will it be safe to vote? Do I have to wear a mask?
The simple answers: No, yes and yes.
Read the story here.
Despite COVID concerns, Trump rallies thousands of fervent fans past Miami-Dade’s curfew
8:20 a.m.: Less than 24 hours before the dawn of Election Day, President Donald Trump touched down Sunday night in Miami-Dade County — the coronavirus epicenter of his must-win home state — and blew the lid off COVID-19 precautions.
In a hospitality-driven county bottled-up by for months by social distancing measures and mask mandates, where more than 3,600 have died in the pandemic, Trump gathered thousands shoulder-to-shoulder to cheer on his embattled reelection campaign at the Miami-Opa locka Executive airport. Many were not wearing masks.
He blew past a midnight curfew put in place by a mayor he’s endorsed. And he hammered a crucial tenet of his closing message: His belief that American economy is surging despite the pandemic caused by “the plague from China,“ and that a “safe vaccine” is on its way soon.
He again mocked lockdowns and insisted the end of the pandemic is in sight. “It’s rounding the turn,” he said.
Read the story here.
Democrats rip Trump’s Opa-locka airport rally. Republicans: It’ll end before curfew
8:20 a.m.: Miami-Dade Democrats slammed President Donald Trump Sunday afternoon ahead of his planned rally at the Miami-Opa-locka Executive airport, an event that could draw thousands of people.
“Today, Donald Trump is bringing a massive super-spreader event to Dade County. He has the gall to do that when he has no plan for COVID,” Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chairman Steve Simeonidis said during a press conference in front of the early voting center at the North Dade Regional Library. “He is the reason why so many people in this country have suffered due to the pandemic.”
Florida Sen. Oscar Braynon, whose majority Black district includes Opa-locka, noted that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black communities
“It’s not just hurting us, it’s killing us. It’s irresponsible. It’s negligent. And it’s downright evil to bring a super spreader event to the middle of that community,” said Braynon.
While Democrats blasted the president, the Republican National Committee told county officials the late-night event — Trump is scheduled to speak around 11 p.m. — is expected to conclude before the countywide midnight curfew.
It did not.
Read the story here.
How did Souls to the Polls do on Sunday?
8:15 a.m.: By Sunday night, the county’s Elections Department reported weak turnout for the day compared to 2016’s final “Souls to the Polls” Sunday ahead of Election Day. About 35,800 votes were cast on Sunday, compared to 53,098 on the same Sunday in 2016 —a decline of 33%.
Partisan breakdowns won’t be available until Monday morning, but Republicans were slightly ahead of Democrats on early voting this year while Democrats have maintained an overall lead in ballots cast thanks to a surge in mail-in voting. Going into Sunday, Democrats had cast about 94,000 more ballots in Miami-Dade (in person and by mail) than Republicans had.--
This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 8:50 AM with the headline "Live election updates: Here’s what’s happening in Florida with 1 day to go."
