Early voting for the Primary Election for county and state races is underway at the Mary Collins Community Center in Miami Lakes.
The Aug. 18 Primary Election is for voters who are registered members of a political party who may vote for their party’s candidates.
Races on the ballot are for Congress, the Florida Legislature and the state attorney.
The District 103 race on the GOP Primary ballot has Miami Lakes Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez running against attorney Thomas Fabricio.
They seek to defeat incumbent Rep. Cindy Polo, D-Miramar, in November.
There also will be what’s called a Universal Primary Contest. That’s when all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the General Election, the county said.
All qualified voters, no matter which party they are registered with, may vote in the Primary Election for those races.
There are five Universal Primary Contests as well as nonpartisan races open to all registered voters, the county said: state attorney and state representatives for Districts 102, 107, 108 and 117.
Also on the Primary ballots: choices for County Executive Committee District members for each party.
Early Primary voting dates and times are:
--Aug. 3 – Aug. 7
7 a.m. – 3 p.m.;
--Aug. 10 – Aug. 14
11 a.m. – 7 p.m.;
--Aug. 8 – 9 and
Aug. 15 – 16
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
There are 22 other locations to vote early in the Primary, and a list can be found here: https://www.miamidade.gov/elections/library/calendars/2020-ev-calendar-primary.pdf.
As you prepare for the General Election, you may wish to vote by mail.
As the coronavirus outbreak lingers in South Florida, officials anticipate that more voters will want to cast their ballots remotely.
If you received a mail ballot request form from Miami-Dade County Elections, complete it and mail it back to the county.
If you didn’t receive a request form in the mail, you can go to www.iamelectionready.org and choose “vote by mail” to get one.
You can also call the county to ask for the form, at 305-499-8444.
Mailed ballots must be received at the Miami-Dade Elections Dept. by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Those ballots may also be dropped off at Miami-Dade Elections Dept., 2700 NW 87th Ave. in Miami or at
Stephen P. Clark Center Voter Information Center, 111 NW 1st St. in Miami.
It’s also the time to make sure your current signature is on file. Go to www.iamelectionready.org and select “update your signature.”
Voters will still be able to participate in the Primary in person on Aug. 18 in their assigned precincts.
The General Election is Nov. 3; register by Oct. 5 if you are not already an eligible voter.
For more information about deadlines and election schedules go to: https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/election-dates.
--Linda Trischitta