As evidenced most recently by the State Constitutional amendment restoring felons’ rights to vote, Florida Court decisions setting aside suppressive redistricting [1], and Federal appellate court decisions setting aside restrictive voter identification legislation affecting voter’s rights, it is important that the City of Miami Beach be in the forefront of expanding rights for voter registration and participation in City elections. The attached Resolution expands upon the rights of City voters by increasing the Early Voting period for the City’s November 19, 2019 Run-Off Election from 2 to 3 days.
Specifically, City of Miami Beach Resolution 2019-30896 authorized Early Voting for the Run-Off Election to occur at Miami Beach City Hall and the North Shore Branch Library on Saturday, November 16, 2019 and Sunday, November 17, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on both days. Pursuant to City Code section 38-6 [2], the attached Resolution amends this schedule of days and times for Early Voting for the limited purpose of authorizing Friday, November 15, 2019 as one additional day of Early Voting (to be held at same locations and times as set forth above, namely Miami Beach City Hall and the North Shore Branch Library from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
[1] In 2012, Florida courts overturned maps drawn by the State Legislature that redrew the state Senate and congressional districts.
[2] “The city commission may, by resolution, adopted in advance of a general, run-off or special election that is not held in conjunction with a county or state election per subsection (a) above, alter the sites and/or schedule of days (and times, when early voting is either not conducted by the county supervisor of elections, or when the supervisor is conducting the early voting but has not exercised the discretion to determine the early voting hours) for early voting from that which is provided above.” Section 38-6(e), Miami Beach City Code.