Latonia Nelson, a 51-year-old teacher living in Miami Gardens, voted at the North Dade Regional Library on Monday. As an African-American woman, she knew the presidential candidate she marked on her ballot isn鈥檛 the most popular in her community.
The last time Nelson was at the polls, she voted for Barack Obama for the second time in 2012.
This year, Nelson cast her ballot for former President Donald Trump.
鈥淚f they鈥檙e Black, they鈥檙e voting Democrat鈥ot this time,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淚 feel like I woke up.鈥�
Nelson was one of thousands in Miami-Dade County to cast their ballots on the first day of early in-person voting for the 2024 general election in South Florida. In addition to choosing a president, voters will be able to decide on constitutional amendments to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults and end Florida鈥檚 six-week abortion ban. Miami-Dade County will also be choosing the first sheriff in 60 years.
READ MORE: How and where to vote in South Florida
The Miami-Dade County Elections Department told the that more than 144,000 voters had already cast their ballots as of 2 p.m. on Monday. Of that number, almost 124,000 voted by mail and about 20,000 went to the polls. Early in-person voting continues from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day until Nov. 3; Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Caplin News interviewed voters about their choices for president. Trump is expected to win Florida and its 30 Electoral College votes this year. Once a swing state, Florida is not among the seven battleground states in this election cycle.
Nicole Delgado, 22, voted for the first time at the John F. Kennedy Library. Delgado, who is Hispanic and lives in Hialeah, voted for Vice President Kamala Harris because she believes their political views align, particularly on abortion.
鈥淚 liked how she was standing up for women that had [their] rights taken away by the abortion ban,鈥� Delgado said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 there all the way, not like Trump.鈥�
Adela Pique, who is 67 and a Hispanic resident of Hialeah, voted for Trump the last two times he ran for president and again on Monday.
Pique said she likes Trump鈥檚 policies on immigration and is concerned about what potentially eight more years under a Democratic administration would mean for the United States.
鈥淓very time the Democratic Party takes the reins of this country, the borders always open. When it鈥檚 not by air, it鈥檚 by sea,鈥� Pique said in Spanish.
Della Logan is 70 years old and a Black resident of Miami Gardens. Logan, who is retired, voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and President Joe Biden in 2020. Logan voted for Harris on Monday at the North Dade Regional Library.
Logan, who said she votes in every election, supports Harris鈥� economic policies.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more to me for an average person, a working person 鈥� It鈥檚 for everybody,鈥� Logan said.
READ MORE: Unsure who to vote for? Here is our guide to voter guides for the 2024 general election
Maria Llorens, a 69-year-old Hispanic retiree, said she voted for Trump 鈥� for the third time.
Llorens, who went to the John F. Kennedy Library to vote, said she liked life under the Trump administration.
鈥淭hese people [Biden and Harris] have been here for four years and they haven鈥檛 done anything and now the lady who is going to run as a candidate has not done anything,鈥� Llorens said in Spanish.
鈥淎re we going to wait four more years for the country to finish being destroyed?鈥� she asked.
For 40-year-old Willie Rosesong, a scientist living in Miami Gardens, it was easy to make his decision. Rosesong voted Democrat in the last two elections and was set on voting for Harris.
Abortion was the most important issue for Rosesong.
鈥淚t鈥檚 setting us backward in time,鈥� Rosesong said. 鈥淚 feel like as a society, it鈥檚 not the way people feel and in the end it鈥檚 a woman鈥檚 right. It鈥檚 not a man鈥檚 right.鈥�
Lisis Canino, 52, is a Cuban-American lawyer who lives in Hialeah, voted for Trump at John F. Kennedy Library. Canino, who鈥檚 a Republican, said she always votes for Trump.
鈥淸I鈥檓] really happy that I was able to vote,鈥� Canino said.
Hunter Smith of Doral, who voted for Biden in 2020, voted for Harris this time around.
鈥淪he puts more focus on the environment, more focus on the middle class, [will] provide them opportunities that maybe other administrations wouldn鈥檛,鈥� Smith said.
Nelsida Alvarenga, who is a 60-year-old paralegal and lives in Tamiami, cast her ballot for Trump at the MIami-Dade County Elections Department in Doral.
鈥淚鈥檓 for a better economy, better immigration, close borders, we need safety,鈥� Alvarenga said.
Sheila Boyd, 74, is a retiree who lives in Miami Lakes, said she voted Democrat in 2016 and 2020 and hearing what Trump has had to say during the campaign helped her side with Harris.
鈥淸Trump] is a bully and what they鈥檙e projecting for 鈥楶roject 2025鈥� is no good,鈥� Boyd said, referring to the conservative Heritage Foundation鈥檚 proposals for running the government. Trump has disavowed the plan.
鈥淥ur lives depend on this,鈥� Boyd said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not trying to go back to the 60s.鈥�
The story was originally published by Caplin News, a publication of FIU's Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media, as part of an editorial content partnership with the SA国际传谋 newsroom.
