State Rep. Fabián Basabe was linked to five disturbances at the Miami Beach City Hall polling site, police records show.

The Miami Herald, which first reported the records on Nov. 2, said Basabe had repeated confrontations outside the early-voting location with campaign volunteers, a police officer and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. Basabe, a Republican incumbent, faces Democrat Lucía Báez-Geller in the House District 106 race on Nov. 3.

Two of the five disturbance reports were initiated by Basabe. The other three were filed by others, the Herald reported. Code compliance officers also checked on the polling station at least six times over possible loud music and signage issues. No violations were issued.

Key incidents

In a video described by the Herald, a Miami Beach police officer told Basabe to turn down his microphone while people were voting, calling him "extremely loud, unreasonably loud."

On Oct. 31, Basabe confronted Levine Cava at a cafe next to City Hall and trailed her to her car while demanding answers and criticizing her, the Herald reported separately. Levine Cava's political consultant, Christian Ulvert, filmed the encounter and called Basabe's conduct disgraceful. Basabe called the incident an example of free speech, the Herald reported.

The Herald detailed additional incidents on Oct. 25, Oct. 27 and Nov. 1 involving disputes over Basabe recording people near the polling place.

Reactions

Steve Atlas, a Miami Beach Democratic Party volunteer at the site over several days, told the Herald that Basabe and his team were, in Atlas's words, somewhat aggressive and intimidating near the polls. Atlas was not among the three people who filed police reports.

Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez called Basabe's conduct toward voters and volunteers disgraceful, the Herald reported. He said voters should consider whether Basabe's conduct reflects the decency of the people of the district.

In a statement to the Herald, Basabe tried to make an issue of his opponent's connections to groups including the Democratic Socialists of America. He said a lack of media attention led him to use a PA system at the site.

Basabe also sent a letter to the city asking that nonemergency compliance concerns be sent directly to him, saying repeated complaints followed by officers approaching him in front of voters created the appearance he was being reprimanded.

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.