Sunrise, Florida Public Records

Public safety in Sunrise, Florida is the responsibility of the Sunrise Police Department, a full-service law enforcement agency serving the city's 96,510 residents. The department's website offers information on crime statistics, wanted persons, and the local sex offender registry. Residents can also access the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's statewide criminal history records to conduct background checks. For missing persons cases, the Florida Missing Children Information Clearinghouse, operated by the FDLE, maintains a comprehensive database and reporting system.

Sunrise voters are served by the Broward County Supervisor of Elections, with the main office located at 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 102, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 (phone: 954-357-7050, website: https://www.browardsoe.org). This office administers all federal, state, county, and municipal elections for Sunrise residents, including voter registration, early voting, Election Day operations, absentee ballot processing, and ballot counting. The office maintains 17 early voting sites throughout Broward County, including locations convenient to Sunrise residents such as Sunrise Civic Center and nearby libraries.

Sunrise residents can register to vote online through the Florida Division of Elections at https://registertovoteflorida.gov. The registration deadline is 29 days before any election. To register, applicants must be U.S. citizens, Florida residents, at least 18 years old (or will be by Election Day), and provide a Florida driver license number or Florida identification card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Online registration is available for most voters; those without a Florida ID must submit a paper application. Registration status and voter information can be verified at https://www.browardsoe.org or through the state's voter lookup at https://registration.elections.myflorida.com.

The City of Sunrise holds non-partisan municipal elections for Mayor and City Commission seats. The city has five commission seats representing geographic districts, plus a mayor elected at-large. City elections are held in odd-numbered years, typically in March, with runoff elections in April if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote. The most recent municipal election cycle was in 2023, with the next regular city elections scheduled for March 2025. Information about Sunrise candidates, local ballot measures, and city election results is available through the City Clerk's office at 954-746-3450 and through the Broward Supervisor of Elections website. Sunrise operates under a commission-manager form of government established by the city charter.

Sunrise residents can find their assigned polling place by visiting https://www.browardsoe.org/Polling-Place-Lookup and entering their address, or by calling the Supervisor of Elections office. Polling places are assigned by residential address and may change between elections; voters should verify their location before each election. Early voting in Broward County typically begins 10 days before Election Day and runs through the Sunday before the election, with extended hours including evenings and weekends.

Under Florida's public records law, extensive election records are publicly accessible. The Supervisor of Elections maintains voter registration lists (with certain personal information redacted for security), precinct-level election results, campaign finance reports for local candidates, candidate qualification documents, absentee ballot reports, and provisional ballot logs. This information is searchable online at https://www.browardsoe.org. Campaign finance records for state-level candidates are available through the Florida Division of Elections at https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/candidates-committees/campaign-finance.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Broward County reported approximately 67% voter turnout, with over 900,000 ballots cast out of approximately 1.35 million registered voters. Broward County consistently leans Democratic in federal and state elections, though Sunrise's diverse population produces varied local election results.

Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Sunrise and Broward County voters will decide several significant races. Florida does not have a U.S. Senate seat up for election in 2026 (Senator Marco Rubio's term expires in 2028 and Senator Rick Scott's in 2030). However, all Florida Cabinet positions will be on the ballot, including Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Attorney General, and Chief Financial Officer. All 160 seats in the Florida Legislature are up for election, including the State Senate District and State House District that serve Sunrise (currently Districts 32 and 100). Broward County constitutional officers including Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Clerk of Courts, and Supervisor of Elections will appear on the ballot, as these positions are elected countywide every four years. Depending on redistricting, Sunrise voters will also elect their U.S. Representative (currently part of Florida's 23rd or 20th Congressional Districts). Voters should check with the Supervisor of Elections closer to 2026 for candidate lists and any local referenda.

Florida offers several methods for absentee voting. Any registered voter may request a vote-by-mail ballot without providing a reason. Requests can be submitted online at https://www.browardsoe.org, by phone at 954-357-7050, by mail, or in person at the Supervisor of Elections office. Vote-by-mail ballot requests are valid for two general election cycles, after which voters must submit a new request. Ballots are mailed approximately 40 days before each election and must be received by the Supervisor of Elections office by 7:00 PM on Election Day to be counted; postmarks do not extend this deadline. Voters can track their ballot status online through the Supervisor of Elections website.