Election 2020 live updates: Here’s what is happening in Florida with 3 days to go
We’re keeping track of the latest news regarding the campaigns, early voting and other political news in South Florida and around the state. Check back for updates throughout the day.
Shifting alliances and new coalitions: Why Trump’s path to victory runs through Miami
4 p.m.: Heading into the final days of the election, with polls and turnout trends portending another close Florida race, President Donald Trump’s hopes of winning another four years in the White House could very well depend on his ability to squeeze every last drop of red out of Miami-Dade County.
Trump, a Republican who rose to power four years ago on a hardline immigration platform, will touch down late Sunday to speak in the deep blue region of his must-win home state, where more than half the population was born in another country.
Read the story here.
Bovo holds rally in Coral Gables, appeal to Trump supporters
3:25 p.m.: Miami-Dade mayoral candidate Esteban “Steve” Bovo, a Republican running against Democrat Daniella Levine Cava, appealed to Donald Trump supporters at a GOP rally in Coral Gables Saturday.
Sen. Marco Rubio and Florida’s Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez attended, too.
Sen @marcorubio and Lt Gov @LtGovNunez joined Miami-Dade mayor candidate @CommBovo for a GOP rally at Coral Gables early voting site today. Bovo asked Trump supporters to mark his name, too. “Trump Bovo con victoria” on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/RK7ZS0ydeU
— Doug Hanks (@doug_hanks) October 31, 2020
Thousands board ‘Trump Train Manatee’ to support president
3:15 p.m.: It’s likely been decades since so many parking spaces were occupied at Desoto Square mall in Bradenton as thousands rallied on Saturday in support of President Donald Trump.
Early estimates were that about 5,000 people were gathered at the mall, but packed cars with waving Trump and American flags were still steadily rolling in well before the scheduled departure time at noon.
Read the story here.
Trump’s late-night rally plans are giving Miami-Dade its biggest curfew headache yet
2:55 p.m.: President Donald Trump’s announcement of an 11:30 p.m. appearance Sunday at a campaign rally at a county airport in Opa-locka has the administration of Mayor Carlos Gimenez scrambling to deal with its latest headache tied to the mayor’s embattled midnight curfew.
If Trump doesn’t move up his arrival, the event promises the most high-profile curfew break yet at a time when county lawyers are trying to convince a state appeals court that the restriction is a vital public health measure against the spread of COVID-19.
Gimenez is already under pressure to keep the rules in place. Daniella Levine Cava, the Democratic county commissioner running against Republican Steve Bovo to succeed Gimenez as mayor, issued a statement Saturday saying Trump “should not get special treatment” from the county.
Miami-Dade mayoral candidate @votedaniella on @realDonaldTrump late-night Sunday rally that will violate county’s midnight curfew if @MayorGimenez doesn’t change the rules. pic.twitter.com/hOzcdvlSwr
— Doug Hanks (@doug_hanks) October 31, 2020
Read the story here.
Kamala Harris rallies Miami Dems in final early voting weekend
Harris is sitting in on a meeting @RepWilson is hosting with Black men in her district to hear about their concerns. https://t.co/zveYoTjzZ8
— Samantha J. Gross (@samanthajgross) October 31, 2020
Since I've heard from a couple readers asking where they can see @KamalaHarris or @BarackObama, their drive-in rallies aren't open to the general public. Campaign supporters get invites but unlike Trump rallies regular folks can't show up. https://t.co/gpPkHcjwKd
— Alex Daugherty (@alextdaugherty) October 31, 2020
12:30 p.m.: Hundreds of cars, decked out in Biden-Harris signs and flags, gathered at Florida International University’s South Campus in west Miami-Dade to hear vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris speak on Saturday.
Harris visited South Florida in a final swing through the state, where latest polling shows a razor-thin margin between her running mate, former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.
Harris opened her speech in Miami by highlighting the “four crises” that she says are brought about by Trump.
Read the story here.
Celebrity chef @chefjoseandres makes an appearance, telling his immigrant story and how inspired he is by the American flag.
“This is the most important election in our history.” https://t.co/Pf7jARLQPh pic.twitter.com/mh957UCwa6— Samantha J. Gross (@samanthajgross) October 31, 2020
Dozens of undelivered ballots found at Miami-Dade post office with mail backlog
12:25 p.m.: Special agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General discovered 48 pieces of election mail sitting in a post office in South Miami-Dade County on Friday, the office announced Saturday morning. Forty-two of them were ballots that had not yet been delivered to voters, officials said, while the other six had already been filled out and were brought to the Miami-Dade supervisor of elections Friday night.
The agents “combed through every bit” of mail sitting at the Princeton post office near Homestead on Friday after reports of a backlog of mail piling up at the facility just four days before the Nov. 3 election.
Read the story here.
Every state attorney in Florida should do what Miami-Dade’s Fernandez Rundle did | Editorial
This is the last weekend to vote early in Florida. Here’s what you need to know
Noon: This is your last weekend to early vote in South Florida before Election Day on Tuesday.
If you still want to take advantage of the last remaining moments before Election Day — when you have to vote at your assigned precinct — here is a last minute refresher on how to do that.
Read the tips here.
Obama will visit South Florida on Monday, Biden campaign announces
11:20 a.m.: Kamala Harris is in Miami on Saturday. Donald Trump will be in Opa-locka Sunday. And now former President Barack Obama will swing through South Florida the day before Election Day.
Miami-Dade County is getting tons of attention in the election’s final 48 hours.
The Joe Biden campaign announced Saturday that Obama will travel to South Florida as part of a two-state swing on Monday. Details to come.
Read the story here.
Democrats ballots-cast advantage over Republicans in FL down to 116K entering final weekend of early voting. Both parties have now turned out 61% of their voters. NPAs at 46% turnout. D mail ballot return rate a shade higher than Rs. pic.twitter.com/WONc4LdI17
— David Smiley (@NewsbySmiley) October 31, 2020
Democrats lean on Souls to the Polls in final push for turnout
11 a.m.: With turnout lagging, much of the Democratic hopes for turning Florida blue could hinge on the success of this weekend’s efforts to turn out voters at Black churches. This year, behind the musical acts, prize giveaways and celebrity guest appearances typical of Souls to the Polls, activists are feeling the pressure.
Days before the election in Miami-Dade County, Democrats are slipping behind in turnout. To date, Miami-Dade Republicans have turned out 64% of their voters. Democrats have turned out 57%, a seven-point gap.
“Whatever effort we felt we lost last weekend, we are pushing for it this weekend ” said Rhonda Thomas, an Opa-locka pastor and executive director of statewide group Faith in Florida, which organizes many Souls to the Polls events. “This Souls to the Polls is so important to Black and brown families. We have so much to lose if we don’t get out to vote.”
Read the story here.
Unprecedented numbers of Florida women donating to presidential candidates
10:30 a.m.: From foreign policy to law and order, healthcare to the economy, abortion access to minority rights — their reasons are varied and differences in opinions many, but across party lines Florida has seen a surge in the number of women contributing to candidates this election cycle.
Read the story here.
Soggy start for the last early voting weekend
7:30 a.m.: Voters heading to the polls for the last Saturday of early voting were greeted by passing storms, as in this scene at an early voting site at the Davie-Cooper City library.
So what’s the rest of the day going to be like weather-wise?
Will trick or treating get rained out in South Florida? It depends on where you live.
