Nov 4, 2008 8:08 am US/Eastern
Voters Line Up Early In Miami Dade To Cast Ballots
SOUTH MIAMI-DADE (CBS4) ―
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Voters lined up early across Miami Dade to cast their ballots on Election Day.
CBS
Dozens of voters lined up at their polling stations in the pre-dawn hours across Miami Dade to be the first in line to cast their ballots on Election Day.
Voters started lining up at the Concordia Lutheran Church, at 8701 SW 124th St in Southwest Miami-Dade, around 5:00 a.m. This year there are 765 designated polling places, 50 more than last year. Election's officials said they expect the lines to be shorter today than they were for Early Voting since there are a greater number of polling stations open. Unlike Early Voting, voters who cast their ballots on Election Day must go to their assigned precinct to vote.
Howard Levine, who arrived just after 6:00 a.m. at the church, said he hoped to beat the crowds by getting in line early.
"I didn't want to stand in line for a couple of hours," said Levine.
Even before the polls opened at 7:00 a.m. elections officials were already sorting the early and absentee ballots; county elections officials say nearly one-third of registered voters in the county have already cast their ballots. Elections officials say extra machines and materials have been placed on stand by in case any polling station reports a problem.
Absentee ballots will still be accepted until 7:00 p.m. They must be turned in at the Miami-Dade Elections Department, 2700 NW 87th Avenue in Doral and at the Voter Information Center in the Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW 1st Street in downtown Miami.
Voters who waited until Election Day to cast their ballots must bring a photo ID with them to their precinct's polling station. If they are unable to provide the proper identification, they will be given a provisional ballot. The provisional ballot will be counted the same way as a traditional ballot if the signature on the provisional ballot envelope matches the signature on the person's voter registration.
For Miami-Dade County residents, recently registered voters who find their names not listed in the registration book are advised to ask poll workers if there is a supplemental registration list. Secondly, they can ask the election workers to call the Miami-Dade County Elections office and issue a provisional ballot.
The Broward County Supervisor of Elections reminds voters that voters wearing campaign paraphernalia may enter the polling place to vote only. After voting, they may campaign at the precinct, but must stay 100 feet away.
Florida's Division of Elections said that polling locations are typically less busy during mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
More than 326-thousand voters in Miami-Dade county cast ballots during Early Voting and more than 144-thousand have already voted via absentee ballot. That equates to a 38-percent voter turnout so far, according to the Miami-Dade County Elections Department.
Polls close at 7:00 p.m. and you can watch election results come in right here on
CBS4.COM.
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