Elections

Miami-Dade County residents can use election services to register to vote, review their voter records, locate polling places, request mail ballots, view sample ballots, track ballot status, and obtain election results. This article explains which office manages elections, how the county’s official systems work, what voters should prepare before an election, and which deadlines and voting rules can affect whether a ballot is accepted.

Election Services and Responsibilities

The Office of the Supervisor of Elections administers federal, state, county, and municipal elections in Miami-Dade County. It also provides election services and assistance to municipalities, the school district, special taxing districts, community council districts, and community development districts.

The official Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections website is the main starting point for election information. Voters can access registration services, personalized voter records, vote-by-mail requests, polling-place information, early voting schedules, sample ballots, election results, poll-worker applications, and information about elected officials.

Residents should use the Supervisor of Elections website rather than relying on an old voter card, previously saved polling-place information, or an election notice from an earlier year. Precinct assignments, districts, voting locations, and election schedules can change. Municipal elections may also apply only to residents of a particular city or district.

2026 Election Calendar

The county’s upcoming and past elections page lists countywide and municipal elections scheduled for 2026 and 2027. It identifies the election date, election type, participating jurisdiction, and whether an election has been canceled. Election dates are subject to change, so voters should review the current listing before making voting plans.

The Countywide Primary Election is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Registered Republican and Democratic Party voters countywide may vote in the primary. Some voters may also have municipal contests based on where they live. Municipal elections scheduled for that date include elections in Miami Gardens, Miami, and Sweetwater, while several other municipal elections shown on the county calendar have been canceled. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Primary Election Deadlines

The official dates for the August 18, 2026 Countywide Primary Election include:

Voter registration deadline: July 20, 2026
Early voting period: August 3 through August 16, 2026
Vote-by-mail request deadline: August 6, 2026
Election Day: August 18, 2026
Mail-ballot receipt deadline: 7 p.m. on Election Day

A registration or party-affiliation change submitted after the registration deadline does not change eligibility for that primary. A vote-by-mail request must reach the Elections office by the applicable deadline; a postmark does not satisfy the request deadline.

Before each election, voters should review the election-specific page for sample ballots, early voting sites and schedules, Election Day polling places, canvassing board schedules, voter-count notices, and temporary or permanent polling-place changes.

Registration Eligibility and Deadlines

A person may register to vote in Miami-Dade County when the person is a United States citizen, a county resident, and at least 18 years old. Eligible residents may preregister at age 16. There is no minimum period of county residency, but the registration must be completed at least 29 days before the election in which the person intends to vote.

A person cannot register if the person is not a United States citizen, has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting, or has been convicted of a felony without having the required civil rights restored.

The official voter registration page provides online registration options and printable applications in English, Spanish, and Creole. A paper Voter Registration Application must be printed, signed with the applicant’s original signature, and mailed or delivered to the Supervisor of Elections.

Residential Address Rules

Florida registration records require a residential address. A post office box or business address cannot be used as the voter’s home address, although it may be entered separately as a mailing address. Providing the correct residence address is necessary because the address determines the voter’s precinct, assigned polling place, municipal jurisdiction, and applicable local, county, state, and federal districts.

A family member may deliver a completed application to the main Elections office or the branch office in Downtown Miami. Applications may also be submitted through authorized voter registration agencies, including driver’s license offices, public libraries, many city halls, state public-assistance agencies, agencies serving people with disabilities, and Armed Forces recruiting offices.

Registration Changes

Registered Miami-Dade County voters can request an address change online, by telephone, email, fax, mail, or in person. The voter must provide a full name, new address, date of birth, and an identifying number from a Florida driver license, Florida identification card, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. A written request also requires the voter’s signature.

A person who moves to Miami-Dade County from another Florida county must register with the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections. Voters should not assume that notifying another county office automatically establishes a Miami-Dade voting record.

Name and political-party changes may be requested online or through a Voter Registration Application. The application must include the voter’s identifying information and original signature. A party-affiliation change must be completed at least 29 days before an election held to nominate a political party’s candidate.

Signature Updates

A current signature is especially important for vote-by-mail ballots, provisional-ballot certificates, and petitions. A voter whose signature has changed may update it online or by submitting a Voter Registration Application with an original signature.

If a voter cannot sign because of a disability, the voter may use a consistent mark, such as an “X.” The same mark should be used on later election documents so it can be compared with the record maintained by the Elections office.

A signature update intended for a mail ballot must arrive before the ballot is received. Updates for provisional ballots or petitions must arrive before the provisional ballot is cast or the petition is submitted for verification.

Personalized Voter Records

The county’s Voter Information tool gives registered voters access to election details associated with their individual records. It can be used to review:

Current residential and mailing information
Political-party affiliation
Assigned precinct and Election Day polling location
Current voting districts and officeholders
A customized sample ballot for an upcoming election
Vote-by-mail request and ballot status
Voting activity during the previous year

The personalized sample ballot is more useful than a countywide master ballot when a voter wants to know exactly which contests may appear on the voter’s ballot. Ballot content varies according to residence, district boundaries, party affiliation during a partisan primary, and any municipal or special-district election occurring in the voter’s area.

Voters should review their information early enough to correct an address, name, party affiliation, or signature before the applicable deadline. Waiting until Election Day may require additional verification or the use of a provisional ballot.

Voter Information Cards

A Voter Information Card contains the voter’s identifying information, precinct number, polling location, and voting districts. A new card may be mailed after a name, address, or party change; a permanent polling-place change; or a countywide voter mailing.

A voter may request a replacement card by submitting a signed written request that includes the voter’s name and date of birth. After the registration is verified, the Elections office issues the replacement without charge. The official information in the county’s voter system controls even when an older card shows different information.

Three Voting Methods

Registered voters may vote by mail, vote during the early voting period, or vote at their assigned precinct on Election Day. The county’s three voting methods overview explains the main distinctions among these choices.

Voting by Mail

A voter requests a paper ballot in advance, marks it outside a polling place, signs the voter certificate on the return envelope, and returns the ballot by an approved method. The ballot must be received by the Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. on Election Day unless a specific rule for an eligible overseas ballot provides otherwise.

Early Voting

During early voting for a countywide election, a registered voter may generally vote at any available early voting location in Miami-Dade County. Early voting locations, operating dates, hours, and reported wait times are published for the applicable election. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Election Day Voting

Election Day voters must report to the polling place assigned to their precinct. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. A voter who is in line by 7 p.m. should remain in line to complete the voting process.

The flexibility available during early voting does not apply on Election Day. A voter who appears at the wrong precinct may need to travel to the correct location or may be offered a provisional ballot under the applicable rules.

Vote-by-Mail Rules

Miami-Dade voters may request a mail ballot for one election or for all elections for which they are eligible through the next regularly scheduled general election. Vote-by-mail requests expire after each General Election, so voters who previously received mail ballots must submit a new request for the next request period.

The vote-by-mail service page allows eligible voters to review request procedures, return methods, tracking options, signature requirements, designee rules, and military or overseas provisions.

Request Requirements

A registered voter may request a ballot online or submit a request by email, fax, telephone, or mail. The request deadline is 5 p.m. on the twelfth day before the election. The Elections office must receive the request by that time. Mailing a request on the deadline does not preserve eligibility when it arrives later.

The United States Postal Service does not forward a vote-by-mail ballot to another address. A voter who wants the ballot sent somewhere other than the address in the Florida Voter Registration System must submit a Statewide Vote-By-Mail Ballot Request Form. The request generally requires the voter’s signature unless an exception applies to an absent uniformed-services voter, an overseas voter, or a request submitted through an authorized designee.

Approved Return Methods

A completed vote-by-mail ballot may be returned through the following methods:

By United States Postal Service mail, provided it is received by 7 p.m. on Election Day

At a Secure Ballot Intake Station located at an early voting site during that site’s operating hours

In person at the Supervisor of Elections headquarters before 7 p.m. on Election Day

In person at the Elections branch office before 7 p.m. on Election Day

Through an authorized designee who follows the applicable limits and documentation requirements

A mail ballot cannot be dropped off at the voter’s precinct on Election Day. A voter who still has an unreturned mail ballot may instead choose to vote in person after election workers confirm that the mail ballot has not already been received.

Return postage is prepaid for countywide elections, so a stamp is not required. For a stand-alone municipal election, the municipality decides whether to provide prepaid return postage.

Envelope Signature Problems

The voter must sign inside the designated red box on the outside of the vote-by-mail return envelope. The Elections office compares that signature with the signature in the voter’s record. An unsigned envelope or a signature that does not match may prevent the ballot from being counted.

Florida law permits a voter to cure a missing or mismatched signature. The voter must submit the required affidavit and a copy of acceptable identification by 5 p.m. on the second day after the election. Because the cure period is brief, mailing a ballot early gives the Elections office more time to contact the voter about a possible deficiency.

Ballot Tracking

The online voter tool shows whether a request is on file, when the ballot was mailed, when it was received by the Elections office, and whether it was counted. If the system identifies a signature deficiency, it may provide access to the required cure affidavit. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Designee Limits

A person designated by a voter may request or return no more than two ballots other than the designee’s own during an election. Additional ballots may be handled for specified immediate family members, including a spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the designee or the designee’s spouse. A legal guardian who is not a family member may also request a ballot on the voter’s behalf.

The designee must present picture identification and the required form. Depending on the procedure used, the designee may also need a written request from the voter containing the information required by the county’s request or return policy.

Identification and Ballot Marking

Voters appearing at an early voting location or Election Day polling place must present a current and valid identification document containing the voter’s name, photograph, and signature. The official Voter Toolkit lists accepted identification, including:

Florida driver license
Florida identification card
United States passport
Debit or credit card
Military identification
Student identification
Retirement center identification
Public-assistance identification
Neighborhood association identification
Florida concealed-weapon license
Veteran Health Identification Card
Government-issued employee identification

A Voter Information Card may help election workers locate a record more quickly, but the card is not required. It also does not replace the current photo-and-signature identification required for regular in-person voting.

The identification is used to confirm identity and compare the voter’s signature with the signature in the voter system. The address shown on the identification is not used as a substitute for the residence address in the voter registration record.

Paper Ballot Instructions

After checking in, an in-person voter receives a paper ballot and votes in a privacy booth. The voter should completely fill in the oval beside each selection and review every page before inserting the ballot into the optical scanner.

The scanner can identify a blank ballot or a contest in which the voter selected more choices than permitted. When the scanner provides a warning, the voter may ask for assistance or request an opportunity to correct the ballot before casting it.

Provisional Ballots

A voter who claims to be registered and eligible but whose eligibility cannot be determined at the voting location may be allowed to cast a provisional ballot. The county’s provisional voting information describes situations that may lead to a provisional ballot, including:

The voter does not appear in the registration system
Records indicate that the voter may already have voted early or by mail
The voter does not present acceptable photo or signature identification
The voter’s identification and signature do not match
A driver license, identification number, or Social Security number has not been verified
The voter’s identity is questioned
The voter appears at the wrong precinct
The voter’s eligibility has been challenged
A required address-change or name-change affirmation was not completed

The completed ballot is sealed in a secrecy envelope and then in a provisional-ballot envelope for delivery to the Elections office. A voter may submit written evidence supporting eligibility until 5 p.m. on the second day after the election.

If the provisional-ballot certificate is unsigned or its signature does not match the voter record, the voter may submit a cure affidavit and identification by the same second-day deadline. The Elections office provides an online system for tracking the status of a provisional ballot.

Accessibility and Language Assistance

All Miami-Dade voting locations provide voting options designed to meet accessibility requirements. The county’s services for voters with disabilities include accessible polling places, touchscreen ballot-marking equipment, audio technology, enlarged text, braille controls, and sip-and-puff compatibility.

A voter may ask to use an ExpressVote ballot-marking device. The device displays the ballot, allows the voter to make selections privately, and prints a marked paper ballot. The voter then places that printed ballot into the same scanner used for other in-person ballots.

A voter who needs help may select a person to provide assistance. The voter must complete a Declaration to Secure Assistance, and a person brought by the voter must complete a Declaration to Provide Assistance. Election officials can also provide assistance.

Accessible Mail Ballots

A voter with a qualifying disability may request an accessible vote-by-mail ballot. When requesting the ballot online, the voter must select the option for voters with disabilities. After the request is processed, the voter receives an email containing access to the electronic ballot.

The voter makes selections electronically, prints the completed ballot, and returns it using the envelope supplied in the regular mail-ballot packet. Florida law does not permit electronic return of the completed ballot. The voter should return only one ballot and must sign the outside of the return envelope.

Multilingual Election Materials

Ballots and election materials are available in English, Spanish, and Creole. Polling places also use bilingual workers to assist voters who need language support.

A person who needs an accessible format, sign-language interpreter, or another accommodation for an Elections program or meeting should submit the request five days in advance through the contact methods provided by the Elections office.

Military and Overseas Voting

Eligible military members, their families, and United States citizens living overseas may use procedures established under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. The Federal Post Card Application can be used to register, update a voter record, or request a ballot.

An original signature is required when the application is used for registration or a registration update. Registration and update applications should be mailed rather than sent by email or fax. When the application is used only to request a vote-by-mail ballot, an eligible military or overseas voter may submit it by mail, email, or fax and may choose to receive the ballot by mail, email, or fax.

Military voters and qualifying family members who have recently been discharged or separated from the Uniformed Services, Merchant Marine, or employment outside United States territory may register after the regular deadline, up to 5 p.m. on the Friday before an election.

For Presidential Preference Primary and General Elections, an eligible overseas ballot returned by fax must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day. A qualifying ballot returned by mail may be counted when it is postmarked no later than Election Day and received within 10 days after the election. Other elections follow the regular vote-by-mail return rules described by the Elections office.

Precincts, Districts, and Results

The Elections office publishes current precinct, district, and municipal information following county reprecincting. Available records include precincts within municipalities, County Commission districts, school board districts, community council areas, state legislative districts, congressional districts, and political-party executive committee districts.

Voters should use personalized voter information for their own precinct and district assignments. Broader district tables and maps are more suitable for researching jurisdiction boundaries, municipal codes, precinct groupings, and geographic election data.

The official past election results archive contains results from 1996 through 2024. Results and election information beginning in 2025 are available through the current upcoming and past elections system. Election materials for earlier periods may require a public-records request. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Record Maintenance and Voter Status

The Supervisor of Elections conducts annual voter-registration list maintenance to keep records current and identify possible changes in address or eligibility. Comprehensive maintenance begins no later than April 1 and must be completed no later than 90 days before a federal election.

Maintenance information may come from postal change-of-address records, government motor-vehicle records, other state election offices, returned mail, jury notices, or another government entity. Depending on the information received, the Elections office may send an Address Confirmation Request, Address Change Notice, or Address Confirmation Final Notice.

Active and Inactive Records

An active voter generally has not had election mail returned as undeliverable or has recently updated the record, requested a mail ballot, or voted. An inactive voter is still registered and remains eligible to vote.

An inactive voter may return to active status by updating the voter record, requesting a vote-by-mail ballot, or voting. If the voter has no qualifying activity by the second federal General Election after becoming inactive, the record may be removed from the Florida Voter Registration System. An otherwise eligible person whose record has been removed must register again.

A voter who receives a notice questioning eligibility should read it promptly and follow the response or hearing instructions. Failure to respond may result in a determination based on the information available to the Supervisor of Elections.

Election Questions and Complaints

The Elections contact page separates inquiries by subject, including voter registration, voting by mail, early voting, polling places, Election Day operations, poll workers, candidates and campaign finance, petitions, public records, media relations, and disability assistance.

Questions involving voter eligibility, access to voting, election procedures, or complaints about the local voting process should be directed to the Supervisor of Elections. Reports involving interference with voting, intimidation, attempted fraud, or other suspected illegal activity may also be reported through the government contacts identified on the official page.

The Florida Department of State has authority to conduct preliminary investigations into allegations involving voter registration, voting, candidates, or petition activities. Candidate-related ethics complaints are handled separately through the Florida Commission on Ethics. These processes should not be confused with ordinary questions about registration status, polling locations, mail-ballot tracking, or election deadlines.

Election Offices and Contacts

Office of the Supervisor of Elections
2700 NW 87th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33172
305-499-VOTE (8683)

Office of the Supervisor of Elections Branch Office
Stephen P. Clark Center, Lobby Area
111 NW 1st Street
Miami, Florida 33128
305-499-8421

Vote-by-Mail Ballot Section, Supervisor of Elections
P.O. Box 521250
Miami, Florida 33152
305-499-8444

Public Records Custodian
2700 NW 87 Avenue
Miami, Florida 33172
305-499-8541

Elections FAQs

Can a voter’s residential address be hidden from public records?

Certain public officials and other people who qualify under Florida law may request that address information in their voter registration record be exempt from public inspection. The exemption is not automatic. An eligible voter must submit the designated public-records exemption form and provide the information required to establish eligibility. The Miami-Dade voter registration page provides access to the form and related instructions. The exemption limits public display of protected information but does not remove the voter from the registration system.

May a community group collect voter registration applications?

An organization must follow Florida’s rules for third-party voter registration activity before soliciting or collecting completed applications. Organizations that qualify as third-party voter registration organizations must register with the state and comply with procedures for handling and delivering applications. Groups should not begin collecting forms until they have determined which registration requirements apply to them. Individuals may still obtain and submit their own applications directly through authorized government methods.

Why do published registration totals exclude some registered voters?

Miami-Dade voter registration statistics are updated monthly and reflect active registered voters. An inactive voter remains registered and may still vote, request a mail ballot, or update the voter record. Because inactive records are not included in active-voter statistics, a published total may be lower than the number of records maintained in the Florida Voter Registration System. The Supervisor of Elections also reports list-maintenance activity to the Florida Division of Elections twice each year.

Where can researchers find precinct boundary files?

The county publishes geographic information for precincts, municipalities, County Commission districts, school board districts, legislative districts, and congressional districts. The current precincts, districts, and municipalities page includes district breakdowns, maps, ZIP Code groupings, municipal codes, and downloadable GIS boundary data. Users comparing older election geography should select the historical dataset that matches the applicable reprecincting period.