Several voting centers in Broward County, in southern Florida, experienced technical issues during the first few minutes of the electoral day this Tuesday, when thousands of Cuban-Americans and other residents headed to the polls for the 2026 midterm elections.
According to Local 10, the malfunction affected the electronic ballot scanning system, which, instead of validating them, incorrectly marked them as invalid, preventing voter registration from being completed and causing delays in the lines.
The centers where incidents were reported were the Sunset Lakes Community Center in Miramar, Coconut Palm Elementary School, and South Plantation High School.
The Broward election supervisor, Joe Scott, confirmed that the issue was resolved around 7:20 in the morning, just about 20 minutes after the polls opened.
“Nobody voted with an incorrect ballot,” declared Scott, who emphasized that the ruling did not impact any counted votes.
By ten in the morning, approximately 45,000 people had already exercised their right to vote in the county, reflecting active participation despite initial setbacks.
Scott called on those who left the line during the interruption: he asked them to return to their assigned center before the polls closed, set for 7:00 p.m. No extension of voting hours was announced.
What to do if your polling place has issues
If a voter arrives at their polling place and encounters technical or eligibility issues, the authorities advise not to leave the line: anyone who is in line at the time of closing has the right to vote.
In the event that the issue cannot be resolved at the moment, the voter may request a provisional ballot, which the authorities will review after the election day.
For inquiries or to report issues, the Broward Election Supervisory Office can be reached at 954-357-8683 (954-357-VOTE).
Transfers of centers due to flooding
In addition to the technical failures, two precincts in Broward were relocated due to flooding before the election: precinct T018 moved from Paradise Village Clubhouse in Davie to Tree Tops Park (3900 SW 100th Avenue, Davie); and precinct E10 was transferred from Sartory Senior Center to Mullins Hall in Coral Springs.
Venue changes are not limited to Broward: in Miami-Dade, 19 precincts were relocated to 12 temporary locations, and counties like Palm Beach and Highlands also moved centers due to flooding and power outages.
Voters who are unsure of the location of their polling place can verify it on their county's official website before heading out.
The polling places in Florida will remain open until 7:00 p.m. this Tuesday, and those who have questions about what identification is needed to vote can check the current requirements before heading to their assigned polling center.
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