Coronavirus & The Primary Election: Polling Sites Moving In Broward & Miami-Dade To Protect Senior Citizens
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Tuesday March 17 is the Presidential Primary in Florida and state elections officials say it is proceeding as scheduled with just a few precinct location changes due to coronavirus concerns.
Sunday, Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee said more than 600,000 participated in early voting and over 1 million people voted by mail. She added "Floridians can safely and securely go to the polls."
However Florida, known for its large senior citizen population, is working to make sure the most vulnerable are protected by relocating polling sites that are located at senior residential facilities.
Here are the changes in Broward County:
- Precinct#: E028: Park Summit of Coral Springs, 8500 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs --> New Location: Northwest Regional Library, 3151 University Drive, Coral Springs
- Precinct#: M015: Sunrise Health & Rehabilitation Center, 4800 Nob Hill Road, Sunrise --> New Location: Sunrise Civic Center (Grand Ballroom), 10610 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise
- Precinct#: M024: Westchester Asst. Living Facility, 9701 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise --> New Location: Welleby Elementary School 3230 Nob Hill Rd., Sunrise
- Precinct#: N008: Plantation Ford Inc., Auto Dealer, 701 N. State Road 7, Lauderhill -->New Location: Deicke Auditorium, 5701 Cypress Road, Lauderhill
- Precinct#: N018: Covenant Retirement Village Center, 9231 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation --> New Location: Plantation Central Park (Rec. Bldg.), 9151 NW 2nd Street, Plantation
- Precinct#: P006: Manor Pines Retirement Home, 1701 NE 26th Street, Wilton Manor -->New Location: Hagen Park Community Center, 2020 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
- Precinct#: Q045 Aston Garden Living, 9401 Aston Garden Ct., Parkland --> New Location: West Glades Middle School, 11000 Holmberg Rd., Parkland
- Precinct#: R001: Imperial Point Hospital, 6401 N. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale --> New Location: Coral Ridge Mall, 3200 N. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale
- Precinct#: R002: Imperial Point Hospital, 6401 N. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale --> New Location: Coral Ridge Mall, 3200 N. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale
- Precinct#: R052: Willow Wood Asst. Living Facility, 2855 W. Commercial Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale --> New Location: Floranada Elementary School, 5250 NE 14th Way, Ft. Lauderdale
- Precinct#: R053: Willow Wood Asst. Living Facility, 2855 W. Commercial Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale --> New Location: Floranada Elementary School, 5250 NE 14th Way, Ft. Lauderdale
- Precinct#: V026: Emerald Park Retirement Center, 5770 Stirling Road, Hollywood -->New location: Stirling Road Library, 3151 Stirling Road, Ft. Lauderdale
- Precinct#: V032: Presidential Place Living Facility, 3880 S. Circle Drive, Hollywood --> New Location: First United Church of Christ, 200 N. 46th Avenue, Hollywood
Here are the changes in Miami-Dade:
- Precincts 047/048: Rebecca Towers, 200 Alton Road, Miami Beach --> New location: South Pointe Elementary School, 1050 4th Street, Miami Beach
- Precinct 196: Villas del Lago, 21100 NW 14th Place, Miami Gardens --> New location: Universal Truth Center, 21310 NW 37th Avenue, Miami Gardens
- Precinct 556: Residential Plaza, 5617 NW 7th Street, Miami --> New location: Kinloch Park Community Center, 455 NW 47th Avenue, Miami
- Precinct 767: Nspire Healthcare Kendall, 9400 SW 137th Avenue, Miami --> New location: Calusa Elementary School, 9580 West Calusa Club Drive, Miami
- Precinct 822: East Ridge Retirement Village, 19301 SW 87th Avenue, Miami --> New location: Cutler Bay Worship Center, 8601 SW 199th Street, Cutler Bay,
- Precinct 858: Seasons Gardens Senior Residence, 17250 SW 137th Avenue, Miami --> New location: Unity Center of Miami, 16320 SW 147th Avenue, Miami
- Precinct 007: Bay Harbor Islands Town Hall, 9665 Bay Harbor Terrace, Bay Harbor Island --> New location: Senator Gwen Margolis Community Center, 1590 NE 123 St North Miami
- Precinct 008: Ruth K. Broad Bay Harbor K-8 Center, 1155 93 Street, Bay Harbor Islands --> New location: Senator Gwen Margolis Community Center, 1590 NE 123 St North Miami
These changes were made after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended all visitations to nursing homes in Broward County, so far the worst-hit county in the state.
Supervisors of elections are stocking voting precincts with extra soap, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. They're asking workers to frequently wash their hands and clean voting equipment, door knobs and counters.
And, in some counties, voters might see poll workers wearing gloves or masks.
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Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez also reiterated the safety precautions being taken.
"Tuesday is the primary election. We are planning for all precincts to be open. We are taking all precautions, including hand sanitizer and deep cleaning at all polling places."
Miami-Dade libraries will be open for voting.
While some other states, including Georgia and Ohio, postponed Tuesday's presidential preference primary, Gov. Ron DeSantis was determined that Florida's election would take place.
"We're definitely voting," DeSantis told reporters Friday. "They voted during the Civil War. We are going to vote."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that events throughout the country consisting of 50 or more people be canceled.
But since primary elections tend to draw smaller turnout than general elections and Floridians have already cast nearly 2 million votes, county elections officials are not expecting long lines and crowds on Tuesday.
State elections officials also stressed there are alternatives to in-person voting for people who want to take extra precautions or who may be exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Voters can designate someone to pick up their vote-by-mail ballots, which can be returned to county supervisors' offices until 7 p.m. on Election Day.
