Voting in South Florida: How to Navigate Tuesday's Elections, Times, ID Requirements, and Locations

On Tuesday, Florida holds its midterm elections, with polling stations open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. across all counties. Residents in the southern part of the state—including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe—have until that time to cast their vote. It's essential to be aware of several key rules before heading out.

Voters should note that early voting concluded on Sunday. Therefore, on this election day, each voter must go to the designated polling station assigned to their home address. To confirm their voting location, residents can use the search tools available on the official websites of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties.

For Miami-Dade voters, an important detail to remember is that 19 precincts have been relocated to 12 temporary sites due to construction, scheduling conflicts, and other issues. Affected voters need to verify their updated polling site at votemiamidade.gov to avoid unnecessary trips to their regular location.

Handling Unsent Mail Ballots

If you still have a mail-in ballot at home that hasn't been sent, you have two options to ensure your vote is counted.

The first option is to deliver it in person to your county's Supervisor of Elections office before 7:00 p.m. The addresses are: Miami-Dade, 2700 NW 87th Ave., Doral; Broward, 4650 NW 21st Ave., Fort Lauderdale; Monroe, 5200 College Rd., Key West.

The second option is to bring it to your assigned polling place, but with an important caveat: election workers cannot accept a completed mail ballot. However, they can cancel it, allowing you to vote in person at that location.

Mandatory Identification

In Florida, voting requires presenting a valid ID with a photo and signature. Acceptable documents include a Florida driver's license, a U.S. passport, state ID card, military ID, student ID, or government employee ID, among others.

If your photo ID lacks a signature, it can be supplemented with another accepted document that has one. Voters without valid ID can request a provisional ballot, which will be validated by comparing the signature with the one in the voter registration records.

Notes, Photos, and Legal Guidelines

Voters are allowed to bring sample ballots or notes, on paper or on their phones, to use as a guide while voting.

It is also permissible to photograph your own ballot inside the voting booth, but Florida law prohibits posting that image on social media or sharing it via text. Sharing a ballot photo with others is considered a first-degree misdemeanor under state statute §104.20.

Once outside the polling place, it is legal to take a photo with the "I Voted" sticker and post it on any platform.

Key Races to Watch

This year, Florida voters will choose a governor, a federal senator, and representatives for 28 congressional districts. In the gubernatorial race, Republican Byron Donalds faces Democrat David Jolly to succeed Ron DeSantis. For the Senate, Republican Ashley Moody, appointed by DeSantis in January 2025 to fill the seat vacated by Marco Rubio when he became Secretary of State, is up against Democrat Angie Nixon.

In South Florida, attention is focused on districts 26, 27, and 28, where Cuban-American congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart, María Elvira Salazar, and Carlos Giménez seek reelection. The most competitive race is in district 27, where Salazar is up against Cuban-American journalist Eliott Rodríguez in a district with a 73.5% Hispanic population.

By the end of early voting, Miami-Dade reported 541,605 ballots cast, accounting for 41.24% of the active electorate, while Broward surpassed 455,000 early votes. Election results can be followed in real-time through the live coverage of the 2026 elections.