With the respective conventions of the Republican Party and Democratic Party now history, and the presidential and vice-presidential candidates nominated, the campaign to elect the next president and vice president of the United States has moved into high gear.
In South Florida’s Caribbean community, and other regions in the US that traditionally lean toward the Democratic Party, there is renewed excitement with Caribbean-Asian-American Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate. Throughout the Caribbean diaspora, particularly among Jamaican Americans, conversations sooner or later turn to the real possibility of Harris becoming America’s first female and Black president. Many people are openly expressing their enthusiasm and excitement about the possibility of a Harris presidency.
However, despite this excitement, not all those expressing these emotions can vote in the upcoming elections. In 2017, the non-profit organization Electronic Registration Information Center (EPIC) reported that an estimated 5 million Floridians who were eligible to vote were not registered. This accounted for about 25 percent of Florida voters. Since then, various statewide and party registration drives have significantly reduced the number of unregistered eligible voters to approximately 500,000 in 2024. However, this estimate could be inaccurate due to the erratic movements of people moving into and out of Florida over the past four years during and since the COVID epidemic, which has created some confusion regarding voter eligibility in the state. One thing that is very accurate is that since 2020, Floridians registering as Republicans have largely outnumbered registered Democrats. As of July 31, 2024, there were 5,324,654 registered Republicans in Florida, compared to 4,327,859 Democrats and 3,535,426 registered without party affiliation (NPA). This represents a significant reversal from 2012 when registered Democrats exceeded registered Republicans by 558,272. A downward trend followed, with registered Democrats exceeding registered Republicans by 257,175 in 2017. By October 2021, registered Republicans outnumbered registered Democrats, and this trend has continued. During the same period, an increasing number of voters have registered as NPA.
Some analysts attribute the increase in registered Republicans to the influx of immigrants to Florida from traditional Republican states like Texas, South Carolina, and Georgia, as well as from countries like Venezuela. Meanwhile, registered Democrats in South Florida continue to exceed registered Republicans. In Broward County, there were 506,541 registered Democrats compared to 256,979 Republicans and 327,868 NPA. Miami-Dade had 514,921 registered Democrats, 459,195 registered Republicans, and, significantly, 473,204 registered NPA; while in Palm Beach County, there were 322,789 registered Democrats, 275,423 registered Republicans, and 239,410 NPA.
High voter turnout in South Florida is vital for helping Florida vote Democrat in November, despite the fact that Republicans significantly outnumber Democrats. However, many more Floridians, particularly South Floridians, who are eligible voters need to register to vote.
In South Florida’s Caribbean American community, it was estimated in 2017 that 4 out of 10 individuals who had gained US citizenship had not followed up to register to vote. While there is no empirical data indicating how many Caribbean Americans are currently eligible to vote but unregistered, an unofficial survey suggests it could be 3 out of 10. An unfortunate pattern among Caribbean Americans is that despite gaining citizenship, some tend to procrastinate in registering to vote unless a presidential or general election is imminent. Moreover, unless they feel excited about the competing candidate(s), they are rarely motivated to register. Prior to Joe Biden dropping out of the presidential race and Harris’s rise as the Democratic presidential candidate, some eligible Caribbean voters felt little motivation to register. But now that they are politically motivated and excited, they need to urgently register to vote as the deadline to register for the November election is October 7, just a few weeks away.
In addition to being a US citizen, to register to vote in Florida, one must be a Florida resident, at least 18 years old, not adjudicated mentally incapacitated, and never convicted of a felony.
There are three traditional ways for Floridians to register to vote:
- Online at https://registertovoteflorida.gov;
- In person at a local supervisor of elections office;
- By completing a Florida Voter Registration Application and mailing it to the local supervisor of elections office.
Additionally, political parties and several civic organizations are conducting registration drives at various venues within the community.
It is pointless, even ridiculous, for people who are eligible to vote to go around thrilled and excited about the prospect of their chosen candidate being elected while they cannot vote. Recent general election cycles in Florida and elsewhere in the USA have shown that voting has consequences.
Being eligible to vote but not registered can have very detrimental effects. Candidates who generate so much excitement and passion could lose their election by a handful of votes because eligible voters who could have voted were not registered. November’s election will certainly be a pivotal one. Those eligible to vote should make it their primary responsibility to register to ensure that the change is positive and historic for them and the nation.
