Live updates on the last day of early voting in South Florida

Early voting sites were open in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties until 7 p.m. Sunday on the last day to cast ballots in person or drop off completed mail ballots at those sites before Tuesday’s midterm election.

After Sunday, mail ballots can only be dropped off at the supervisor of elections office for your county before 7 p.m. Tuesday:

▪ Miami-Dade Elections Department, 2700 NW 87th Ave., Doral

▪ Broward County has two locations: Broward County Supervisor of Elections, 1501 NW 40th Ave., Lauderhill; Broward County Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale.

▪ Monroe County has three locations: 530 Whitehead St. #101, Key West; 10015 Overseas Hwy., Marathon; 102050 Overseas Hwy. #137, Key Largo.

If you used the U.S. Postal Service to return your mail ballot, it must be received by the supervisor of elections office in your county by 7 p.m. on Election Day. To check on the status of your mail ballot, follow these links for your county: Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe.

READ MORE: Your guide to November’s election: The candidates and races on South Florida ballots

We’ll be updating through the day as candidates and political groups campaign across South Florida. Check back for new information.

Trump tells supporters to vote for DeSantis

8 p.m.: Former President Donald Trump didn’t mock Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on his home turf Sunday like he did during a rally Saturday night. Instead, at a rally in Miami, he urged the crowd to vote for Republicans, including DeSantis.

“You’re going to re-elect the wonderful, the great friend of mine, Marco Rubio to the United States Senate and you are going to re-elect Ron DeSantis as your governor,” he said.

READ MORE: Trump and DeSantis hold dueling events in Florida ahead of Election Day

— ANA CEBALLOS and ALEX ROARTY

Early voting sites close

7 p.m.: The last day of early voting is now over.

In Miami-Dade, over 243,500 ballots have been cast during the early voting period and nearly 223,000 via mail, according to preliminary data from the Miami-Dade County Elections Department. Over 180,000 Republican-registered voters and slightly more than 174,000 Democrat-registered voters have cast their ballots, the data shows. Nearly 107,000 people with no party affiliation have also voted.

In Broward, over 188,000 ballots have been cast during the early voting period and nearly 203,000 via mail, according to preliminary data from the Broward County Supervisor of Elections. Nearly 208,000 Democrat-registered voters and over 100,500 Republican-registered voters have cast their ballots, the data shows. Nearly 78,000 people with no party affiliation have also voted.

And in Monroe County, nearly 8,000 ballots have been cast during the early voting period and over 11,500 via mail, according to preliminary data from the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections. Over 9,000 Republican-registered voters and over 7,000 Democrat-registered voters have cast their ballots, the data shows. Nearly 300 people with no party affiliation have also voted.

‘Souls to the polls’

6:30 p.m.: A crowd marched down Northwest 22nd Avenue on Sunday afternoon as part of the Souls to the Polls event in Liberty City.

The traditional march is intended to motivate voters to turn out across the United States. Among the faces in the crowd were Karla Hernandez-Mats, Charlie Crist’s running mate for governor, and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

— GRETHEL AGUILA

READ MORE: ‘Souls to the polls’ is a lively march of dedicated voters with passion for democracy

DeSantis holds back-to-back rallies

4:45 p.m.: DeSantis held three back-to-back rallies in Hillsborough, Lee and Sarasota counties on Sunday. His message was focused on his management of Hurricane Ian recovery and the pandemic, railing against providing COVID-19 vaccines to young children, criticizing President Joe Biden’s policies and his fight against the “woke ideology.”

“Nov. 8th is really the first time that every American gets to go to the polls and just tell Joe Biden what you think of his policies. You can send a loud message to him on that,” DeSantis said during a campaign event in Sun City Center. “And I think he needs to hear that.”

— ANA CEBALLOS and ALEX ROARTY

READ MORE: Trump and DeSantis hold dueling events in Florida ahead of Election Day

Crist visits early voting site

4:30 p.m.: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist held several events in South Florida with his running mate Karla Hernandez-Mats in an effort to energize voters. He visited an early voting site in Miami as “Souls to the Polls” events kicked off from several locations. Those events in each election cycle feature Black churches across the state sending Democratic-leaning congregants to vote in droves.

— ANA CEBALLOS and ALEX ROARTY

Hundreds await Trump at Miami rally

4:15 p.m.: Donald Trump is not on the ballot, but two days ahead of the general election, hundreds showed up for the former president’s “Save America” rally Sunday at the Miami-Dade County fairgrounds.

In the hours leading up the Trump’s scheduled 5 p.m. appearance in support of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, the event resembled a snapshot from 2020, with dozens of red Make America Great Again caps dotting the crowd. Some attendees wore American and Cuban flags tied like a cape.

A long line snaked around the fairgrounds entrance, where “Who Let the Dogs Out” and “In the Air Tonight” played through speakers. Roger Stone, the convicted political operative pardoned during Trump’s final days in office, entered through a “special guest” check-in tent.

— TESS RISKY AND BIANCA PADRÓ OCASIO

READ MORE: ‘Florida loves Trump’: hundreds await former president at pre-election rally in Miami

Trump elevates rivalry with DeSantis

3:30 p.m.: Former President Donald Trump lobbed one of his famous disparaging nicknames at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a rally on Saturday night, referring to him as “Ron DeSanctimonious,” as he displayed a poll of the potential 2024 Republican battleground field.

“We’re winning big in the Republican Party for the nomination like nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump told a crowd in western Pennsylvania, projecting a Tweet on the big screen. “There it is, Trump at 71%, Ron DeSanctimonious at 10%. Mike Pence at 7 — oh, Mike is doing better than I thought.”

Trump’s comment is the first direct slight against DeSantis since the former president’s political committee announced he would be campaigning for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio at a rally in Miami on Sunday while not inviting DeSantis.

— MARY ELLEN KLAS

READ MORE: With disparaging nickname for DeSantis, Trump elevates rivalry before election

DeSantis, Crist take to Twitter

2 p.m.: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Gov. Charlie Crist both made last minute social media pitches to voters.

Sharing a tweet from First Lady Casey Desantis who said her husband “will never stop fighting for freedom,” Crist tweeted that he believes “freedoms and rights are God-given.”

“Ron DeSantis believes they are given by Ron DeSantis - which is why he has no trouble taking them away if you don’t act, think, or look like him,” Crist added.

Meanwhile, DeSantis’ last tweet about the elections was Saturday night when he addressed a crowd of supporters in Pinellas County.

“Great to see so many Floridians who are ready to stand strong and fight for their freedoms,” DeSantis said. “Let’s keep this momentum going all the way to the polls.”

Candidates encourage people to vote early

1:15 p.m.: As there is little to no wait time at Miami-Dade’s voting locations, candidates are taking to Twitter to motivate people to vote early.

U.S. Rep. Val Demings, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, said this election will come down to one thing: voter turnout. In another tweet, she asked her followers to comment how they are getting out the vote this weekend.

READ MORE: 5 takeaways from a contentious U.S. Senate debate between Val Demings and Marco Rubio

The last tweet of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, the Republican incumbent, was posted late Saturday night when he said that Ocala voters “are ready for the #RedWave coming to save our country.” On Sunday, former President Donald Trump will headline a rally in Miami for the Republican senator just 48 hours before Election Day.

READ MORE: ‘Things change’: Rubio, once Trump’s adversary, embraces former president

Florida Sen. Annette Taddeo, Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 27, exhorted voters to cast their ballots Sunday until 7 p.m. “Don’t miss your chance to vote early and return leadership back to Miami!” Taddeo said.

U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, the incumbent, also advocated for residents to vote Sunday. “I’m your Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar & I’d be honored to count on your vote!” Salazar said.

READ MORE: In Florida’s most Hispanic district, Latina politicians spar over immigration and socialism