Recall Election Tuesday For Alvarez, Seijas
MIAMI (CBS4) – Miami-Dade voters will have one last chance on Tuesday to cast their ballots in the recall election for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez and County Commissioner Natacha Seijas.
Early voting in the special election ended Sunday.
As of Sunday, nearly 59,000 people had already cast their ballots at the polls. The county's election department reports as of last Friday more than 67,000 absentee ballots had been returned.
In this special election, all registered voters in the county can cast ballots to recall Alvarez. Only voters in District 13, which includes part of Miami Lakes and Hialeah, can vote to recall Seijas.
Special Recall Election Polling Places
A recent Miami Herald-CBS4-Univision 23 public opinion poll showed that Alvarez and Seijas will likely be turned out of office. The poll, released last Sunday, was conducted by Bendixen & Amandi International among 400 voters who had voted, or plan to vote, in the recall election.
"I look at polls I look at what they're saying but it really doesn't matter. What matters is tomorrow night around 10 o'clock. That's what matters," said Mayor Alvarez.
The mayor said he is looking forward to the election and was using ever opportunity to let the voters know that he needs to remain in office.
"The only think I can tell people is that I've lived in this community for 51 years," said Alvarez. "I know your frustration. I'm a homeowner, my family is here they are homeowners so it's not like I'm removed from their daily lives."
Alvarez stands by his decision to raise property taxes. He said it was necessary to avoid huge cuts to essential services such as the police and fire departments. But the raising of property taxes was one of the main issues that compelled billionaire Norman Braman to spend more than a million dollar to lead the recall push.
"Worth it if there's change," said Braman. "I feel good because the people of the community are finally having an opportunity to vote on something."
Barman said the recall election is sending "notice to our elected officials that the public is concerned about the quality of government."
Vanessa Brito from Miami Voice was also looking forward to Tuesday's election. Her organization lead the push to recall Seijas.
"Win or lose I mean we have really won this battle," said Brito "I mean we have really set a precedent for all 13 commissioners."
Pollster Fernand Armandi spent the afternoon on WQBA. Judging by the calls and his pool taken last week, the high turnout mean one thing.
"If this was any other election cycle they would both be…have their gooses cooked, as they say, but I think right now if by what they pool suggest by what anectodotely and I think they sentiment out there is that come Wednesday morning they're going to be looking for something new to do."
Seijas did not respond to numerous requests from CBS 4 News for an interview. On Tuesday, she plans to giveaway $250,000 in taxpayer dollars to local non-profit groups.
"It also leads people to justify the recall you know just one more time," said Brito. "Why do this on election day? This is such a poor tactic on her part."
