In November, not only will Miami Beach voters elect a new Mayor and City Commissioners, but they will have the opportunity to vote on a referendum allowing a final decision to be advanced regarding the much awaited enhancement and expansion of the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Last August 14th during a special election the voters overwhelmingly approved a 1% visitor tax increase to fund renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center. The proposed renovations include a public park where the asphalt lot now stands, adding to the green space on Miami Beach, a hotel to support the Convention Center, as well as a state-of-the-art center to attract the shows with a positive economic impact to the city.
The question is, of the more than 100,000 residents, how many who are eligible to vote will exercise their right? Qualified residents must register prior to October 7th in order to vote in the November 5th Election. Citizens eager to exercise their right to vote early may do so between Monday, October 21st and Sunday, November 3rd at the Miami Beach City Hall, 1700 Convention Center Drive. Voters must bring a current photo ID with their printed legal name. Those who wish to wait until Election Day to cast their vote must report to their assigned polling location; contact the City Clerk’s Office at 305-673-7411 or cityclerk@miamibeachfl.gov for inquiries.
Not going to be in town for the election? Absentee ballots can be requested from your Supervisor of Elections in person, via telephone or mail, or at <www.miamidade.gov/elections/ vote_absentee.asp>. Requests for this ballot require the voter’s name, address, date of birth, and signature if it is a written request. If an immediate family member or legal guardian is requesting the absentee ballot, they must also provide the requestor’s address, driver’s license number (if available), relationship to the voter and requestor’s signature if the request is written. State law requires the voter to sign the voter certificate on the outside of the absentee ballot envelope.
A request to receive an absentee ballot by mail must be received by the Supervisor of Elections no later than 5 p.m. on October 31st. An absentee ballot may be returned up until and including Election Day no later than 7 p.m. for the vote to count only at the Miami-Dade Elections Department at 2700 NW 87th Avenue, Miami, FL 33172 or to the Elections Department’s Branch Office located in the Lobby of the Stephan P. Clark Center, 111 NW 1st Street. Direct questions to Miami- Dade County Elections Department at 305-499-VOTE or soedade@miamidade.gov; visit online at www.miamidade.gov/elections for additional information.
