Given the current state of COVID-19 infections throughout Florida and the expected high levels of voter turnout for the August 18, Primary Election; and the November 3, General Election. All Florida voters will need to maintain social distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The State and County have assessed that voters who use vote-by-mail ballots will interact with fewer people during the elections and reduce the total volume of voters at those locations. Florida law permits voters to return their vote-by-mail ballots by mail or at drive-through drop-off locations, allowing voters to securely and timely cast their votes in the 2020 Primary and General Elections while maintaining appropriate social distancing and decreasing any risk of potentially spreading the COVID-19 virus.

The City of Miami Beach is requesting to temporarily reserve the designated City Commission parking spaces on 17th Street in front of City Hall and use it as a ballot drive-through drop-off location. We believe this area will be optimal for this purpose because of its location on a frequently used street and the recessed parking spaces would allow voters to submit their vote-by-mail ballots with minimal traffic interference only while entering and exiting the drop-off location while in their vehicles. This drop-off location will be open to receive vote-by-mail ballots throughout the Early Voting period, August 3 - 16, 2020, and on the Primary Election Day, August 18, 2020. Based on the success of this drop-off location it will also be considered for the November 3, 2020 General Election. The access to the USPS and FedEx dropboxes located at this site will not be obstructed.