Make no mistake. The lack of early voting on college campuses in Miami-Dade is voter suppression.
In defiance of a federal judge who said the Florida ban on early voting on college campuses had a “pattern of discrimination,” and while other counties scramble to provide campus locations, Miami-Dade is not opening any early voting locations for the Nov. 6 election at Miami-Dade, Florida International University (photographed left) or 
University of Miami campuses. This unwillingness to take action and do the right thing potentially disenfranchises tens of thousands students who are more motivated than ever to vote thanks to Parkland or Trump or both.
“The Miami-Dade County Elections Department has already confirmed its early voting sites for this election cycle, since preparations for large elections begin well in advance. Specifically, the Elections Department has secured the 25 early voting sites for the November 6, 2018 General Election,” Miami-Dade Elections Supervisor Christina White said in a statement Tuesday. Nothing has changed since, Elections spokeswoman Suzy Trutie told Ladra Thursday.
And the 25 locations are an increase from 20 in the primary and 20 for most midterm generals, but was increased to 25 in anticipation of voter growth, Trutie added. One would assume that includes the 41% increase across the state of voters ages 18 to 29 who registered after the high school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Broward.
Read related: Carlos Gimenez abuses power in election interference for lobbyist son
“In selecting early voting sites, the County’s goal is to ensure there is maximum accessibility for all voters,” White’s statement ends.
Well, all voters except students, apparently. And why?
These voters are mostly going to support Democrat candidates. And the Republicans know that. Doesn’t matter what 
White is registered as. Because Mayor Carlos Gimenez — who last month declared himself the real supervisor of elections so he could do his lobbyist son a favor — is Republican. We know, for instance, that he is raising funds for GOP superwoman Marili Cancio because he registered to solicit for her PAC. So he won’t do the right thing, but it’s not because he can’t. Because he could. He absolutely could make it happen. He’s meddled in elections before.
Remember in 2012 when he suddenly closed the Elections Department voting site on a Sunday as hundreds of people stood in line and then just as suddenly — after much protest and negative news — re-opened it hours later?
Maybe we should have CJ ask him.
Also, FIU did have an early voting site in 2012 at the stadium, where 2,276 people voted. Why would it be so difficult to set that up again? We’re not talking about making it an Election Day precinct. Just a location for early voting. Seems not only reasonable but natural.
State Rep. Kionne McGhee — who is becoming one of my favorite woke electeds — knows Gimenez could make this right. It is why 
he addressed the mayor in his tweet Wednesday.
“Banning early voting sites on college campuses was ruled unconstitutional. Five major counties have moved to expand EV sites. Students @FIU @MDCollege, and @univmiami deserve a say in the Democracy they’re a part of. What’s the holdup, Miami-Dade SOE and @MayorGimenez.”
The holdup, Rep. McGhee, is that his friends and backers could lose their state races.
Read related: Carlos Gimenez submits late night campaign check
This is one of the many reasons why there should be an independently elected Supervisor of Elections as there are in most Florida counties. But it’s not the only or the biggest reason. When you have a mayor who can declare himself the de facto supervisor of elections so he can grant a week delay in an election calendar to his lobbyist son, you have a problem.
Unfortunately, an elected supervisor of elections is not on the ballot this year. But it should absolutely be on the next ballot, with the caveat that it be a nonpartisan seat. This should be the next priority for the League of Women Voters, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, Engage Miami and all the other groups that say they are for voter awareness and participation.
Because what we are seeing today is voter suppression under the guise of a logistics excuse.
Lack of early voting on campuses is Miami-Dade mayor’s voter suppression added by Ladra on
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Wonder how it would go if we let some heavily R leaning group like police or fire, have their own extended voting schedule to increase participation? ? The left would scream bloody murder.
Ain’tnosaint ,
Schools be it High school or College campuses have always been used for more then just education and they can chew gum and walk at the same time.
Voting and other activities aren’t taking away from education or disturbing classes as most if not all take place when there aren’t any classes or in another part of the building .
If you want to vote then you will vote . Florida is a user friendly state for voting . These students can go to their local voting place or absentee voting and hand it in ( I don’t trust mailing it in).
I guarantee the Republican students will vote , whether they can vote in school or not .
Miami Dade County provides voters 3 basic ways to cast votes.
1-Vote By Mail
2-Two weeks of early voting at 25 locations
3-Election Day voting at over 700 precincts
Not sure how that somehow violated or surpasses someone opportunity to vote? I prefer to hear that leftist and democrat candidates (basically the same) know they have a voting bloc that normally talks a lot but doesn’t vote and this way college professors can give the “kids”sometime off class to vote for their socialist agenda.
That is very rich for students that most likely live with mom and dad and pay NO property taxes.
Suppression? This is laughable. Voters in Miami Dade have numerous ways of voting, how is not having a site at FIU suppression? My goodness we are becoming a “snowflake” county.
…A college student isn’t a kid. At one time,they were under the obligation to serve in the armed forces, and could even drink alcoholic beverages in Florida, until the excesses forced the withdrawal of that privilege. They don’t necessarily need a pedestrian overpass to cross U. S. 41, although one of the wire meshes we see on Okechobee Rd. And at the Golden Glades would help. They can be oriented to nearby early voting locations during their free hours on campus, and don’t have to be disenfranchised.
This is a pretty weak argument/position. Why can’t college kids just go to public libraries like everyone else? What’s next? Demanding early voting at people’s various workplaces? College campuses have poor parking as it is and, there’s a lot of security risk in bringing in unnecessary people. God forbid we focus on education at college.
Because they know how these college students will likely vote. I remember when I was a volunteer for the Obama campaigns and had a couple of Cuban-American kids — who’d never voted — if their parents would be able to find out that they’d voted for him. We assured them that they would not.