Photo courtesy of Detvch.com

The City of Opa-Locka and the Miami-Dade Elections Department are hosting a special voter education workshop set for Tuesday, May 5, at 5 p.m. at the Sherbondy Village Community Center, 215 Perviz Avenue.

The staff for Miami Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia will be on hand to offer educational tips of voting, voter registration, vote by mails requests and giveaways.

Staff will also bring and showcase voting equipment, including privacy booths, EViD pollbooks, an ExpressVote ballot marking device and the DS300 tabulator, to get existing and prospective voters familiar with and excited about the voting process.

“Voter outreach is a top priority, and we are pleased to join our friends from Opa-Locka on this educational effort,” said Garcia. “The more people who vote, the healthier and more vibrant our community is. We thank Commissioner Santiago for spearheading this innovative and impactful event.”

Opa-Locka Commissioner Luis B. Santiago, who is sponsoring the event, said it’s crucial that city residents understand the voting process.

“Making voting accessible and easy to understand is important for our community,” said Santiago. “This workshop is an opportunity to help residents, especially those who are new to the area—learn how to register, understand the process, and feel confident participating and staying engaged in our community.”

Registered voters are preparing for the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, with the Primary in August and the general election in November.

During the special voter education workshop in Opa-Locka residents will also learn about new voter restrictions passed by state lawmakers called Florida’s SAVES Act.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed the Act into law which now requires voters to provide several forms of ID with proof of U.S. citizenships if it is not automatically verified by the state.

And if a person’s name was legally changed, they also have to provide that proof.

Opponents, including voting rights advocates and Democrats, see the changes as burdensome paperwork that could disenfranchise or discourage hundreds of thousands of eligible voters from casting ballots.

Voting rights advocates have filed a lawsuit challenging Florida’s new law.