TAMARAC, FLA. (WSVN) - There’s a special congressional election happening Tuesday in Broward County.
It’s to fill the District 20 seat left vacant by the death of Representative Alcee Hastings.
“Weird in January. I’ve never voted in January, I think,” said a voter.
Hastings passed away in 2021 and held the seat since 2013.
Republican Jason Mariner is facing off against Democrat Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick.
“We are learning so much in being out in the community, seeing the different needs that are evolving as the pandemic morphs into a different variant,” said Cherfilus-McCormick.
“It’s school choice. Better, safer, cleaner, drug free streets and job protection,” said Mariner.
Cherfilus-McCormick won a crowded democratic primary by five votes.
“We were fighting for voting rights, fighting for health care, fighting for economic development,” said Cherfilus-McCormick.
Mariner said he’s not phased to be running republican in a district that has historically voted democrat.
“If you tell people that it’s an uphill battle, it’s a discouragement to them. It leads people to believe, why try, why vote?” said Mariner.
Polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.
Anyone who wants to submit their mail-in ballot will have to drop it off at the Supervisor of Elections office for it to count in the election.
Roughly 420,000 voters are eligible to vote in the election.
As of noon, a little over 10% had shown up to vote.
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