HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Supervisor of Elections FR/SRMIAM I•DADE
COUNTY
February 20, 2013
Todd B. Hannon
City Clerk
City of Miami
3300 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
Dear Mr. Hannon:
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Elections
2700 NW 87th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33172
T 305-499-VOTE F 305-499-8547
TTY: 305-499-8480
miamidade.gov
The Miami General Municipal Election is scheduled on November 5, 2013, with a Run -Off
scheduled only one week later on November 12, 2013.
As is customary in past elections, we ask that your municipality move ove your run-off election
in order to give the Elections Department the time that is required to properly prepare for
such election and, in addition, give your voters the opportunity to take advantage of
absentee voting. I strongly urge you to move your run-off election to be held a minimum of
two weeks later, which would be on November 19, 2013. This would place your election
on the same date as the other municipalities, Hialeah and Miami Beach.
This request is being made due to the many steps involved in preparing for a municipal
election, including:
• Updating voter registration records
• Coding, proofing and testing two different voting systems (optical scan and
electronic)
• Ordering, printing, processing and mailing absentee ballots
• Giving adequate time to voters to receive and return their absentee ballots
• Hiring and training personnel for Early Voting sites (if applicable) and for Election
Day
• Delivering paper ballots and supplies to Early Voting sites and polling locations
• Resetting, reprogramming, and retesting all election equipment
• Preparing for the state -mandated Logic and Accuracy Test (L&A) and Post Election
Audit
Todd B. Hannon
February 20, 2013
Page 2
It is a tremendous challenge for this Department to perform all of the procedures stated
above in the one week timeframe that currently exists between your general and run-off
elections.
It is my understanding that you will be presenting this information to your council to
consider extending the timeframe between elections to two weeks. I must reiterate that
this is the minimum amount of time that is acceptable to carry out our mission and serve
the voters of your municipality. My greatest concern is in regards to absentee voting. The
short time period between elections may prevent voters from taking advantage of absentee
voting and/or being able to successfully return the ballot to our office by the deadline.
know we share a common goal to ensure that your elections are thorough, complete, and
accurate. With this in mind, I hope you and your council take this recommendation into
consideration and schedule a minimum of two weeks between your general and run-off
elections. I would like to remind you that F.S. 100.3605 stipulates that municipalities have
the authority to change the date of their elections, a right that many municipalities have
exercised in the past.
Should you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to
contact Christina White, Deputy Supervisor of Elections, at 305-499-8403.
Sin -rp y,
Pen: ope Townsley
Sup-rvisor of Elections
Mia i-Dade Elections Department
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