Summary
In the 2018 Florida General Election, nearly 60,000 registered voters in nine Florida counties cast early in-person (EIP) ballots at 12 on-campus voting locations at universities and colleges. Young voters, people of color, and those who did not cast a ballot in 2016, disproportionately voted at these locations.
Our research indicates that turnout—especially among young registered voters—in the counties that introduced on-campus voting locations, was higher in 2018 compared to 2016. Turnout in Florida is bolstered by on-campus locations as it lowers the opportunity costs of voting for all registered voters, particularly for young registered voters.
60,000
voters cast EIP ballots on campus
33,000
of voters who cast EIP ballots on campus were 18-29 years old
22,000
of voters who cast EIP ballots on campus were 18-22 years old
Voting among young voters in Florida, as across the country, continues to lag behind other age cohorts. This report provides evidence that it is possible to bolster turnout, especially among young registrants who have yet to be come habitual voters, simply by providing polling places that are more convenient for them to cast their ballots.
Dan Smith, Ph.D.
ElectionSmith, Inc.
Inside the Report
The opportunity for registered voters to cast EIP ballots on 12 college and university campuses—public and private—was the direct result of a federal lawsuit filed in the spring of 2018 by the League of Women Voters of Florida, Inc., The Andrew Goodman Foundation, AGF leaders Megan Newsome and Jamie Roy, and other individual student plaintiffs.
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The Back Story
What Inspired the AGF to Conduct this Report
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The Problem
Why The AGF Fought for On-Campus Early In-Person Voting in Florida
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The Solution
How The AGF Won the Fight for On-Campus Early In-Person Voting in Florida
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The Path Forward
How Policymakers can Use these Findings to Increase Access to the Ballot
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