Miami-Dade opened its early voting centers this Monday for the Florida primaries on August 18, becoming the first county in the southern part of the state to offer this option ahead of the mandatory period established by law.
Florida's electoral legislation mandates early voting from August 8 to August 15, but counties may choose to extend this period voluntarily.
Miami-Dade took advantage of that window and will extend its early voting period from August 3 to August 16, while Broward will begin on August 8 and will also close on the 16th.
The hours in Miami-Dade vary by week: from August 3 to 7, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; from August 8 to 9, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; from August 10 to 14, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and from August 15 to 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. In Broward, every day during the period will have the same hours: from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Among the centers available in Miami-Dade are the Coral Gables Branch Library, the Student Academic Success Center of Florida International University (FIU), Miami Beach City Hall, the Joseph Caleb Center, and the John F. Kennedy Library in Hialeah, among more than a dozen locations spread throughout the county.
The primaries on August 18 will determine the candidates of both parties for the governorship of Florida, the most significant contest of the state electoral cycle. Governor Ron DeSantis cannot run for reelection due to term limits.
In this election process, in addition to defining party candidacies, representatives will be chosen for state and federal positions, among which are:
- Senator of the United States from Florida.
- Member of the United States House of Representatives (according to the congressional district of the elector).
- Governor of Florida.
- Lieutenant Governor of Florida.
- Chief Financial Officer of Florida.
- Florida Commissioner of Agriculture.
- State senator of Florida (according to the corresponding district).
- State representative in the Florida House of Representatives (according to the corresponding district).
- Miami-Dade County Commissioner (districts 2, 5, and 8).
- Member of the Miami-Dade School Board (districts 1 and 8).
- Judges of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit (five groups).
- County Court Judge (Group 25).
- Members of the Miami Gardens City Council (seats 2 and 4, for residents of that city only).
The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is August 6, so those who do not apply for that option will need to go in person to one of the early voting centers or wait until the day of the primaries.
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