Early Voting Kicks Off On Saturday
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – While nearly 1 million people have cast an absentee vote already this election season, business at the voting booths will begin to pick up starting Saturday when early voting kicks off in Florida.
Early voting days were cut down by the Republican-led Florida Legislature earlier and will last just one week during this election. During the 2008 election, an executive order from Governor Charlie Crist allowed for more early voting days.
Historically, absentee voting tends to skew Republican while early in-person voting tends to skew more Democratic. This year, Republicans have around a 5 percent lead in absentee balloting, which Democrats expect to more than make up for in early voting.
While the number of days early voting will be allowed were cut, the total number of hours of early voting will remain the same as in 2008.
In Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, early voting will start on Saturday and run through Saturday November 3. The early voting polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day during early voting.
Long lines are possible due to increased interest in the presidential election and in Miami-Dade County waits could be longer as voters have to make their way through a ballot that could be at least 12 pages long for some voters.
- Click here to see early voting locations in Miami-Dade County; early voting locations in Broward County
Want to know more about the constitutional amendments?
- Click here for an explanation of the tax amendments (2,9,10,11)
- Click here for an explanation of property tax reform (4)
- Click here for an explanation of money for religion amendment (8)
- Click here for an explanation of the budget overhaul amendment (3)
- Click here for more on the abortion and healthcare amendments (1, 6)
- Click here for more on the Supreme Court Overhaul amendment and Student Government amendment (5,10)
