PRIMARY ELECTIONS UNDERWAY THE MOST WIDELY CIRCUL ATED CARIBBEAN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN FLORIDA
CNWEEKLYNE WS.COM
THURSDAY AUGUST 13, 2026
More than 6,000 disabled parking permit applications fail Miami-Dade audit
VOTE
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Florida voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 18, for the 2026 Primary Election, with major statewide, congressional and local races on the ballot. The primary will determine which Republican and Democratic candidates advance to the November general election, while voters in many counties will also decide nonpartisan contests for judges, school board members, county commissioners and other local offices.
With early voting underway, election officials are encouraging voters to review their sample ballots, confirm their polling locations and understand which races they are eligible to participate in before casting a ballot. Florida operates under a closed primary system, meaning voters generally may only participate in the primary of the political party with which they are registered. Registered Democrats will receive Democratic primary contests, while registered Republicans will vote in Republican races. Voters registered with no party affiliation, commonly referred to as NPA voters, typically cannot participate in partisan primaries. They may, however, vote in nonpartisan races and Universal Primary Contests. A Universal Primary Contest occurs when all candidates for an office belong to the
same political party and the winner of the primary will face no opposition in the general election. In those cases, all registered voters may participate regardless of party affiliation. Because ballots vary by party, precinct and local district, voters are encouraged to view their personalized sample ballot before voting.
What is on the ballot? Among the major statewide races are contests for governor, U.S. Senate, chief financial officer and commissioner of agriculture. Gov. Ron DeSantis is term-limited, meaning Florida will elect a new governor in November who is scheduled to take office in January 2027. The U.S. Senate race is also significant. The seat was vacated by Marco Rubio after he became U.S. Secretary of State in 2025 and is currently held by Sen. Ashley Moody, who continues on A10 – Disabled permits
More than 6,000 disabled parking permit applications have failed a final audit in Miami-Dade County as officials step up efforts to combat fraud and misuse of permits, the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector's Office announced Thursday. Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez said the office has reviewed more than 75,000 applications as part of a countywide audit aimed at protecting access to disabled parking spaces for seniors, veterans and residents with legitimate mobility disabilities. Of the applications that have undergone a final audit, 6,190 have failed the review process, while thousands of additional applications remain subject to review and verification. “This audit is producing results,” Fernandez said. “More than 6,000 applications have failed our final audit. Behind every permit that is improperly obtained or used is a parking space that could be taken away from someone with a legitimate disability. We are going to continue protecting this program and the residents who depend on it.” The Tax Collector's Office has also expanded its coordination with law enforcement as part of its efforts to combat disabled parking permit fraud and misuse. Fernandez has recently joined enforcement efforts with the Doral Police Department and Coral Gables Police Department. The office also continues to work with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies. Officials said the partnerships combine the Tax Collector's auditing and verification efforts with law enforcement activity in communities across the county, helping identify potential misuse and hold violators accountable. Under Florida law, fraudulent use of a disabled parking permit can result in up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Violators may also be disqualified from obtaining a disabled parking permit for up to four years.
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