Miami-Dade Elections Department Offers Sunday Afternoon In-Person Absentee Ballot Option

Though Florida Governor Rick Scott refused to extend early voting hours, the Miami-Dade Elections Department is offering an unusual work-around in order to continue accepting votes Sunday afternoon.

"While state law does not permit Early Voting today, we are permitted to provide and accept absentee ballots," officials said in a release.

The Department announced it will open its Doral headquarters Sunday afternoon so that Miamians can cast votes by in-person absentee ballot, "in honor of the Early Voting hours offered on the last Sunday in 2008" -- which the Republican-led Florida legislature eliminated this year.

Voters can request and fill out absentee ballots at 2700 NW 87th Avenue from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. even if they had not previously requested one.

Election departments say that anyone in line at 5 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

The move was announced just hours after long lines that developed over the eight days of early voting prompted an emergency lawsuit from Florida democrats Sunday morning , charging "extreme" delays "unduly and unjustifiably burdened the right to vote."

According to the Miami Herald's Patricia Mazzei, the county's last early voter on Saturday wasn't able to cast a ballot until 1 a.m. because of long wait times.