Absentee ballots expected next week

DORAL, Fla. (WSVN) -- The largest batch of absentee ballots are heading to voters' mailboxes in Miami-Dade County.

Workers at the elections department loaded up trucks filled with 172,000 ballots, Friday. Voters can expect to receive them in the mail early next week. The ballots are the longest in the county's history, up to 12 pages.

With the possibility of long lines on election day, officials are encouraging voters to take advantage of options like early voting and absentee ballots. "With the long ballot, the length of the ballot, voting by mail is a convenient way to vote," said Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Penelope Townsley. "It allows the voters to take their time and vote in the comfort of their homes."

For the first time, the county has prepaid the postage on absentee ballots.

Voters can still request a ballot through the end of October, but they must be returned to the elections department, not just postmarked, by 7 p.m. on election day.

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