NEW FROM MIAMI-DADE: 'Tons of uncounted ballots' found in Opa-locka mail facility

Greg P. | 8:13 PM on November 09, 2018

Well, this is certainly going to cause a stir in the Florida election drama…

Miami New Times reporter Jerry Iannelli has a new article out alleging that “tons of uncounted ballots” are just sitting in a “Miami-area mailroom in Opa-locka” and that Miami-Dade elections officials are aware of the ballots but “can’t do anything” about them:

NEW: I obtained photos that appear to show tons of uncounted ballots sitting inside a Miami-area mailroom in Opa-locka. Miami-Dade Elections spox says they're aware of the reported ballots but can't do anything: https://t.co/DkqdnODIjD

— Jerry Iannelli (@jerryiannelli) November 9, 2018

The issue here will become if it was the post office’s fault or not that the ballots were not returned in time:

Miami-Dade Elections spokesperson said that it was on voters to mail ballots back to the county by 7 p.m. on election day, but multiple sources tell me they're worried that USPS had left ballots sitting inside the mailroom that could have been counted: https://t.co/DkqdnODIjD

— Jerry Iannelli (@jerryiannelli) November 9, 2018

And “tons of uncounted ballots” may be in the “hundreds or thousands,” which could make a difference as the vote count narrows. From the Miami New Times:

Several local activists demonstrated outside both the mail facility and at the Miami-Dade County Elections Department to try to bring attention to the ballots. Two sources who spoke with New Times allege hundreds or thousands of ballots might still be inside.

Suzy Trutie, a spokesperson for the Elections Department, told New Times her office was aware of the ballots but confirmed nothing else about them. She said that, by her office’s reading of state law, any ballots not delivered to the Miami-Dade Elections Department by 7 p.m. on Election Day could not be counted toward the 2018 total.