Florida midterm voting surged among young people and Hispanics, but less among black voters

It sure seemed as if people were preoccupied with politics in 2018, and new voter data released Wednesday showed that translated into a surge in voters in the midterm elections in Florida and the U.S. as a whole.

The Census Bureau, which produced the data, reported voter turnout represented a historic increase from the previous midterm election, in 2014. Last year’s election was the highest midterm election in four decades, the Census Bureau said, compared to 2014, which had the lowest.

The increase was seen in all voting age and major racial and ethnic groups, the Census Bureau reported.

Florida also saw increases, but turnout in the Sunshine State was slightly lower than the nation as a whole.

Overall, voter turnout was 52.6% in Florida in 2018. In the 2014 midterm election, Florida turnout was 44.8%.

Nationwide, voter turnout was 53.4% in 2018. In the previous midterm election, nationwide turnout was 41.9%.

The numbers come from a report on voting and registration based on the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey.

Young voters

Efforts to get young people to register and vote were widespread in the months after the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Those efforts, by young people and for young people, produced results in Florida and across the U.S.

In Florida, turnout among voters age 18 to 24 was 29.7% in 2018, the Census Bureau reported — a dramatic increase from 17.6% in 2014.

Nationwide, turnout among voters age 18 to 23 was 32.4%, up from 17.1% in 2014.

Turnout was up among every age category — significantly, in some cases — but no other group increased as much as young voters.

However, voter turnout among young voters is still significantly below turnout for every other age category, and lower than overall voter turnout.

Hispanics are the fastest growing demographic group in the U.S., and the last year saw an enormous amount of attention focused by candidates on Puerto Ricans who moved to the state after Hurricane Maria devastated the island territory in September 2017. Nationally, Hispanic voters may have been energized by discussions of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and his derisive comments toward people from some Latin American countries.

In Florida, turnout among Hispanic voters was 44.3% in 2018, up from 36% in 2014.

Nationwide, turnout among Hispanic voters was 40.4% in 2018, up from 27% in 2014.

Florida is home to a large Cuban-American population, and political engagement has always been high in the state among voters who care about U.S. policy toward the island nation which has helped produce energy and participation in the American political system at all levels.

Black voters

Turnout numbers for black voters contained a big surprise. Turnout among black voters in Florida was up in 2018 — but the increase was much less than the nationwide increase.

Florida politics was consumed in 2018 with the notion of a surge in black voters because the state had its first major party African American nominee for governor, Democrat Andrew Gillum. His campaign effort focused heavily on increasing turnout among black voters in the days leading up to the November election, which Gillum narrowly lost to Republican Ron DeSantis.

White voters

In Florida, turnout among white, non-Hispanic voters was the highest of any demographic group: 57% in 2018. White, non-Hispanic voter turnout was 47.5% in Florida in 2014.

Nationwide, turnout among white, non-Hispanic voters was 57.5% in 2018, up from 45.8% in 2014.

Political scientist Michael McDonald at the University of Florida, focused his analysis on the share each demographic group made of the total electorate, which is people who voted, as opposed to overall turnout in different groups.

He said the share of the electorate that was made up by non-Hispanic white voters declined from the 2016 presidential election to the 2018 midterm election, a finding he wrote on Twitter was “a stunner.” Usually, McDonald said, the voting population in midterm elections is “a shade whiter” than presidential elections.

Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers

Turnout among all age groups, not just the youngest voters, increased significantly from 2014 to 2018 in Florida and nationwide.

The numbers:

— 25 to 34 Florida — 40% in 2018; 30% in 2014.

— 25 to 34 U.S. — 42.1% in 2018; 27.6% in 2014.

— 35 to 44 Florida — 44% in 2018; 35.8% in 2014.

— 35 to 44 U.S. — 51% in 2018; 37.8% in 2014.

— 45 to 64 Florida — 57.9% in 2018; 60.2% in 2014.

— 45 to 64 U.S. — 59.5% in 2018; 49.6% in 2014.

— 65 and older Florida — 57.9% in 2018; 60% in 2014.

— 65 and older U.S. — 59.5% in 2018; 59.4% in 2014.

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