Statement from Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez on selection of early voting sites

After a careful review and exhaustive evaluation to replace the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, which is undergoing some construction, with another early voting location accessible to all, the Miami-Dade County Department of Elections selected the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science as the ideal site, based on its accessibility and experience with early voting. I fully support that choice. The museum has a free Metromover stop at its location for easy accessibility and transfers from free bus services already being provided by the County. It also served as an early voting site when the museum was at its old Coconut Grove location, which bodes well for safe and secure voting.

I appreciate the Miami Heat’s offer to have the arena, which is walking distance from the museum, serve as an early voting site. However, Miami-Dade County decided to move forward with its original choice, as it is a more convenient site that’s best suited for early voting, with both free public access to thousands who live near downtown and a long-standing relationship with the County on holding free and fair elections. Also, the arena would not be able to serve as an election site in future years based on the NBA’s schedule.

We encourage and support the Heat to exercise their First Amendment right to express their political views. Our decision was based on the best location to serve all County voters.