Voting Is Your Right - And Mayor Garcia Is Trying to Tamper With It.

In last night's mail (3/22/13), I received an innocent-looking mail piece from Mayor Garcia's campaign.

Inside were two pre-printed, addressed postcards to assist voters in requesting absentee ballots.  On the surface, this seems like a very kind and sincere gesture to assist people in having their voices heard.  Then my husband pointed out a troubling detail.

Look closely at the address on the back.  It's a Miami Springs P.O. Box, and not the actual Miami-Dade Elections Department.  For the record, the proper contact information for Absentee Ballot Requests is:

Attn: Absentee Ballot Section
P.O. Box 521250
Miami, Florida 33152

Phone:
305-499-8444


Email:
ABUnit@miamidade.gov

Naturally, the question then, is - what is at P.O. Box 661413 in Miami Springs?

Yes, you read that correctly.  The Mayor is trying to trick voters into sending Absentee Ballot Requests directly to him, instead of to the Miami-Dade Department of Elections where they must go to be processed.

The deadline for ballot requests to be received is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27th.  That is an awfully tight turn-around time, and there is a genuine risk that someone might send back one of these cards, thinking it is going to Miami-Dadel Elections, and miss the deadline.

Shame on Mayor Garcia for putting campaign tactics ahead of sincere concern, and putting your rights at risk in the process. I think he owes us all an explanation, and an apology.