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Nov 3, 2009 7:15 pm US/Eastern
Polls Close in 7 South Florida Cities
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
The polls have closed in the 7 cities from North Lauderdale to Marathon
where voters were electing mayors and deciding in city council members.
Turnout was light across the region, as a lack of county-wide races
left most voters out of the polling place, but in Miami, voters will
re-make city government by electing two new commissioners and a new
mayor.
"We see so far about ten percent of our voter turnout through absentee and early voting," Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Lester Sola said. "All indications tell us that voter turnout is going to be what it's been historically."
Historically speaking, only 15 to 25 percent of those who can vote will. The other 75 or percent won't even show up. That means no lines and no waiting for those who will head to the polls.
Ronald Legos says he was not going to pass up his chance to voice his opinion. "I make my vote because I am an American citizen; but I love it, everything is faster. It's easy, maybe one or two minutes."
Four Miami-Dade cities are holding elections. Those cities are Hialeah, Miami, Miami Beach and Homestead.
In Miami, voters cast their ballots for Mayor. Battling for the job are current Commissioner Tomás Regalado, and Commissioner Joe Sanchez.
Both candidates spent Monday walking the city's streets, often before adoring groups of sign-waving Miamians.Both cast their ballots early Tuesday morning and both vow to campaign until the end.
"I never want to call it too early," Regalado said. "We are working as if we were down 50 points and we will continue to campaign today up until 7:01."
"Within 60 days of me being sworn in as mayor, I will set a blue ribbon committee of economists, labor attorneys and the city's finance committee to start addressing the pension crisis we face," Sanchez proclaimed.
As of Friday, 13,556 of Miami's 177,000 registered voters had cast absentee ballots. Another 4,156 had taken advantage of early voting.
Miami voters will also decided on who will hold City Commission Seats 3, 4, and 5.
Voters in Hialeah cast their ballots for Mayor and two council members, while voters in Miami Beach have selected a Mayor and three city commissioners.
Homestead voters will also decided on a Mayor and four council members.
In Broward County, the City of North Lauderdale will choose a Mayor and residents of Tamarac will elect a new commissioner.
CBS4.com will have complete election results starting at 7 p.m. at
cbs4.com/electionresults. You can also get complete election coverage at
cbs4.com/campaign09.
CBS4's Sharrie Williams contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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