Florida's presidential primary election arrives

Voters head to polls throughout state

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Florida voters were casting their ballots Tuesday in the presidential primary election.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Republicans have a choice between Donald Trump, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, while Democrats will choose between former first lady Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Because Florida is a closed primary state, only registered Republicans or Democrats may vote for the candidates in the party of which they are affiliated.

Despite a few hiccups in Broward County, there were few complaints from voters.

A voting precinct at Pompano Beach Middle School was disrupted by a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax.

Victoria Putz showed up at George English Park in Fort Lauderdale to vote, only to find out that poll workers had her listed as a registered independent -- a designation that she never made.

Putz left and contacted Broward County's election headquarters.

"He corrected the mistake, and he told me that I could go back and vote in the same place," Putz told Local 10 News.

Elections officials in Miami-Dade County said they had no issues at their polling locations. They credit several changes since the 2012 general election, including a computerized check-in process that allows voters to swipe their driver's licenses as opposed to checking their names off a paper registry.

Whoever emerges on the Republican side will claim all 99 delegates in the winner-take-all state. Florida has 246 delegates up for grabs on the Democratic side to be distributed proportionally.

A total of 83,561 Miami-Dade County voters cast ballots during the early voting period. In Broward County, a total of 82,422 cast their ballots early.


About the Author:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.