Election Day trouble? Meager mail voting and high turnout are warning signs in Miami | Opinion

Never mind election dirty tricks or the threat of foreign interference, voting in November’s presidential election in Miami-Dade could be impacted by two local issues:

Too few vote-by-mail ballots have been requested, and voters are expected to turnout in historic numbers.

Election officials fear a perfect storm that could spell long lines on Election Day, even past the 7 p.m. cutoff. They need the help of Miami-Dade to avoid it. Let’s help.

With just two months left before Nov. 5, the number of vote-by-mail ballots requested by the county’s 1.4 million voters is anemic.

As of the week of Aug. 26, only 250,000 requests have come into the elections department, compared to 438,000 for the midterm elections in 2022 and a whopping 600,000 in the 2020 presidential race, which COVID-19 hampered.

“We could have a record number of voters with lower-than-usual vote-by-mail numbers,” Miami-Dade Elections Supervisor Christina White told the Herald Editorial Board. “Voters can’t wait until the last minute. This is too important.”

New rules enacted by the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature three years ago still confuse voters. The law now require voters to re-register to receive mail ballots for each election cycle.

Many voters may still need to be informed of the change, especially as we head to a presidential election.

White predicts a historic 78% turnout for Miami-Dade. That represents over 1 million residents. The existing turnout record is 75% for the 2020 elections, she said.

If they don’t pay attention now, voters might find out too late they cannot vote by mail and be left with heading to the polls on Election Day.

“This is my biggest concern ahead of the November presidential election,” White said.

We share her concern. We don’t want a repeat of the hours-long lines Miami-Dade experienced in 2012.

White said the only relief is hefty early voting numbers. Let’s hope Miami-Dade voters take advantage of the early voting period that runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 3.

There’s more that can delay the voting process on Election Day. White said another component is a loaded two-page ballot, with not only a presidential race but also the election of a new Miami-Dade sheriff, tax collector, supervisor of elections — positions that will be elected for the first time in decades — as well as clerk of courts, and property appraiser. Voters will decide on six proposed Florida constitutional amendments — including on abortion and recreational marijuana — as well as dozens of local races and referendums.

White told the Board she’s battling to avoid a seismic scenario on Election Day. White is rightfully concerned this could disrupt the voting process and even delay results in one of the most critical counties in Florida.

Miami-Dade’s government, not just the elections department, needs to plan for the unexpected. Support staff, equipment, security, police — whatever is needed should be at the ready to help White get her job done. No excuses should be allowed if things go sideways, preventing a timely, accurate count. Let’s not have anything resembling the county’s evident shock and unpreparedness at the Copa America final fiasco in July at Hard Rock Stadium.

With just weeks left until the General Election, the window to course-correct is shrinking fast. Voters need to hear the message clearly. If they want a mail ballot, they must request it immediately and remember to send it back. White said in the August primary, only 55% of all vote-by-mail ballots requested were returned.

This potential “perfect storm” should not spiral into a disastrous situation in Miami-Dade for Election Day 2024.

Needless to say, the stakes are high.

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This story was originally published August 30, 2024 at 5:00 AM.