Florida Young Voters Turning Out in Record Numbers
Increase Early Vote & Absentee Turnout by 50 Percent
Florida’s young voters (18-35 year-olds) have been turning out in record numbers during Florida’s early voting and absentee ballot period, despite recent reports to the contrary. With early vote results for this weekend yet to be fully tallied and countless absentee ballots still making their way through the postal system, young voters have already increased their turnout numbers by over 50 percent from 2004’s early and absentee vote numbers.
According to the America Votes Voter Access Network (VAN), which compiles voter data across the state, approximately 419,664 voters between the ages of 18-35 voted early or absentee during the 2004 early vote period. With totals yet to be fully reported, approximately 669,449 young voters have already cast or mailed their ballots in Florida for the 2008 elections. That is a 50 percent increase in young voter early and absentee voting and we can only expect that the numbers will continue to grow.
These results are even more impressive given that young and new voters have historically preferred voting on Election Day. That, coupled with record voter registration numbers, means we can only expect that young voters will continue to deliver by turning out to vote in record numbers on November 4.
Young voters are an increasingly active and growing segment of Florida’s population. If there was ever any doubt that young people would vote in Florida this year, these results prove that when you challenge our generation, we rise above expectations every time.
Young voters - 44 million strong - make up 22% of the eligible electorate and are overwhelmingly Democratic. In this election cycle, young people have favored Democratic candidates by a two to one margin.
