Florida Votes: Civic Engagement in the Sunshine State, 2002-2006, examines Florida’s population and electoral participation in 2002 and 2006 and compares them to the United States as a whole. The report’s major focal points include rates of eligibility, registration and turnout by race or ethnicity, age and income.

This report is organized in three major sections: population, registration and voting. In the first section, we describe the size and demographic composition of Florida’s overall population and voting-eligible population. Next, we examine the racial (and ethnic), age and income characteristics of the state’s registered population. Then, we present information on the subset of the Florida population that voted. We conclude by describing some of the disparities in the rates at which certain populations register and vote.

As we show, Floridians who are White, those who are older and those who are more affluent are more likely to register to vote and turn out at the polls. Young people and people of color, especially Latinos, experienced declines in electoral participation, despite significant population growth.

Download the Full Report: Florida Votes: Civic Engagement in the Sunshine State, 2002-2006.

Figure 1: Income Composition of Florida's Voter-Eligible Population, Electorate and Voters, 2006.

Figure 2: Age Composition of Florida's Voter-Eligible Population, Electorate and Voters, 2006.

Figure 3: Race and Ethnicity of Florida's Voter-Eligible Population, Electorate and Voters, 2006 .