Hundreds of Florida Ballots Found on the Side of the Road

In a stunning error Monday night, a Miami-Dade County truck lost a sealed bin and bag containing hundreds of early voting ballots.

According to Miami-Dade’s Elections Department, the truck’s driver failed to secure the back latch, causing the ballots to fall out on a Miami-area road. The county promptly terminated the driver, citing “zero tolerance for error.”

“One sealed bin and one sealed bag fell out, containing already voted ballots from early voting,” the department confirmed in a statement Tuesday. “While unintentional, the error was serious enough to cost the employee his job.”

Local residents quickly stepped up, finding the ballots on a Cutler Bay road near Florida’s Turnpike. One resident took immediate action, transporting the items directly to the police, who verified that “all items were accounted for.” Citizen journalist network Only in Dade shared video footage of the incident on X, formerly Twitter, showing the good Samaritan recovering the ballots and ensuring their safe transfer to authorities.

In the video, the man is heard exclaiming, “How are those in the middle of the street?” as he gathers the materials, which were marked with “official election” seals. At the station, a police representative commended him for his honesty and community service.

Last night, an individual came across a box full of ballots and other documents on exit 11 of the Turnpike, at the intersection of 211th St. in Cutler Bay. He immediately picked them up and took them to the police station, where they have been properly secured. No information yet… pic.twitter.com/HQP6glsm9b

— ONLY in DADE (@ONLYinDADE) October 29, 2024

“Thank you for doing the right thing,” a Miami-Dade Police spokesperson expressed, adding gratitude on behalf of local officials. The Miami-Dade Elections Department echoed this sentiment, praising the “upstanding residents who did the right thing.”

This unsettling lapse in ballot security adds to a growing list of ballot-related incidents this election cycle. Just one day earlier, a ballot drop box fire broke out in Vancouver, Washington, destroying numerous ballots. A report from Clark County indicated the fire damaged ballots collected after the last pickup on Sunday, raising new concerns about early voting security nationwide.

Earlier this month in Portland, an incendiary device was planted in another ballot drop box, forcing police to respond with a bomb squad. And last week in Phoenix, a U.S. Postal Service facility fire destroyed multiple ballots, further intensifying discussions around mail-in voting security.

Republican voters and election integrity advocates have raised concerns as similar incidents add up, pressing officials for stricter ballot handling and security measures as Election Day nears. Newsweek reached out to both the Trump and Harris campaigns, as well as Miami-Dade County officials, for further comment.