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RESOLUTION PLACING A NON-BINDING STRAW BALLOT QUESTION ON THE PRIMARY ELECTION BALLOT IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST, 20, 2024 FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING TO THE ELECTORS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WHETHER THEY BELIEVE THAT MIAMI-DADE COUNTY NEEDS TO EXPAND ITS RAPID MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM

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WHEREAS, under the Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter, the County is given the power to carry on a central metropolitan government and to, among other things, provide for and operate rail and bus terminals and public transportation systems and prepare and enforce comprehensive plans for the development of the County; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, this Board endorsed the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (�SMART�) Plan as approved by the Transportation Planning Organization (�TPO�), which calls for expanding the central metropolitan transit system with six rapid transit corridors: Beach Corridor, East-West Corridor, Kendall Corridor, North Corridor, Northeast Corridor, and South Dade Transitway; and
WHEREAS, in February of 2018, this Board adopted Ordinance No. 18-8, which created the Miami-Dade County Transportation Infrastructure Improvement District (the �TIID�) and a corresponding trust fund, to use tax increment financing for the development, construction, maintenance, and operation of the SMART Plan rapid transit corridor projects; and
WHEREAS, this Board wishes to determine whether the residents of Miami-Dade County believe that Miami-Dade County needs to expand its rapid mass transit system,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. A non-binding straw ballot question shall be placed on the Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Primary Election for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of Miami-Dade County the non-binding straw ballot question as set forth below.
Section 2. Notice of such election shall be published in accordance with Section 100.342, Florida Statutes.
Section 3. The result of such election shall be non-binding but nevertheless determined by a majority of the qualified electors of Miami-Dade County voting upon the proposal. The polls at such election shall be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on the day of such election. All qualified electors of Miami-Dade County, Florida shall be entitled to vote at said election. The County registration books shall remain open at the Office of the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections until 29 days prior to the date of such election, at which time the registration books will close in accordance with the provisions of general election laws. The question shall appear on the ballot in substantially the following form:
NON-BINDING STRAW BALLOT ON
COUNTY RAPID MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM

DOES MIAMI-DADE COUNTY NEED TO EXPAND ITS EXISTING RAPID MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM? (RAPID MASS TRANSIT IS DEFINED HERE AS ELEVATED METRORAIL, PASSENGER RAIL, AND/OR METROMOVER)

YES

NO

Section 4. The form of the ballot shall be in accordance with the requirements of general election laws.
Section 5. Early voting shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements of general election laws.
Section 6. Vote-by-mail ballots may be used by qualified electors of Miami-Dade County for voting on this question. The form of such vote-by-mail ballot shall be in accordance with the requirements prescribed by general election laws.
Section 7. A sample ballot showing the manner in which the question or proposal aforesaid will appear at this election shall be published and provided in accordance with the applicable provisions of general election laws.
Section 8. This election on the proposal aforesaid shall be held and conducted in accordance with applicable provisions of the general laws relating to elections and the provisions of the Home Rule Charter. The County Mayor or his or her designee, the Finance Director, and the Clerk of the County Commission are hereby authorized and directed to take all appropriate actions necessary to carry into effect and accomplish the provisions of this resolution. Election officials in connection with this election shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of general election laws.
Section 9. This election shall be canvassed by the County Canvassing Board, in accordance with the provisions of section 3.07 of the Home Rule Charter.