On election day at the end of a high-profile mayoral race in Miami Beach, Maribel Balbin, president of the League of Women Voters Miami chapter, offered insights on what matters most to Miami voters.
Local elections typically have low turnouts. However, Balbin noted that the early voting numbers were encouraging and speculated that the mayoral race between incumbent Philip Levine and David Weider would draw more voters to the polls this year. “Fortunately, the city of Miami Beach election has been very controversial,” Balbin said. “There have been so many issues to do with money and PACs and fundraising, so I think that Miami Beach may see a little spike in their participation today.”
The League of Women Voters has been meeting with groups across the county to identify issues that communities in Miami-Dade are worried about. The League is aiming to boost voter turnout, especially among younger voters.
Balbin said improving public transportation and addressing sea-level rise are young voters’ top concerns. “I mean, if you come out of a club in Miami Beach and your car is under water, you’re going to try to figure out why that happened, she said. “And then if you know this is something that somebody you vote for is responsible for, then [younger voters] can make that connection.”
According to Balbin, climate change could be a “catalyst for greater involvement” among the younger generation in terms of both voting and running for local office. She predicts the solar initiative that will be on the 2016 ballot will be another key environmental issue that brings more millennials to the polls.
Balbin also identified zoning and development issues as a topic likely to spur greater involvement among all age groups.
