The early voting period in Miami-Dade came to a close this Sunday after a bustling period where over half of the registered voters cast their ballots ahead of time. Official figures reveal that a total of 539,512 residents participated in early voting in the county. Among them, 41.9% identified as Republicans, 29% as Democrats, and 26.9% as independents.
November 3rd marked the final day of early voting, which saw large crowds and wait times exceeding 40 minutes. "We have reached the 14th day of early voting. Yesterday (Saturday), we broke records set in 2020, and today (Sunday), we continue to see people coming out in droves to vote early," stated Roberto Rodríguez from the Miami-Dade Elections Department in an interview with Telemundo 51.
Election Day Voting Requirements
Voters planning to cast their ballots on the official Election Day, scheduled for November 5th, must visit their designated polling places and bring a form of identification with a signature, such as a passport or driver’s license. Authorities advise that those still holding mail-in ballots should deliver them to the offices in Doral, as mailing them at this point would be too late.
Mail-In Voting Statistics
In Miami-Dade, 266,802 voters have already submitted their mail-in ballots. Breakdown by party shows 29.3% Republicans, 42.4% Democrats, and 26.4% independents. Across Florida, more than 7 million people have participated in early voting.
Nationwide, the early voting numbers have soared with over 75 million Americans having voted, accounting for half the electorate from the 2020 elections. Barry Burden, director of the Election Research Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, noted that "Election Day has now become merely the conclusion of the voting process."
2024 Presidential Race Outlook
The upcoming 2024 presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is shaping up to be highly competitive. According to the latest national poll by NBC News, both candidates have secured 49% of the support from registered voters. Harris is buoyed by increasing enthusiasm among Democrats and leads on issues like abortion rights and middle-class welfare. Meanwhile, Trump garners support from those concerned about the nation's current trajectory, with a strong focus on economic issues and cost of living. Only 2% of voters remain undecided.