TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Turnout was low across the state in this week's presidential primary, with 21.57% of all eligible voters voting, according to data from the Florida Secretary of State's Office.
What is noteworthy is that turnout was not only low. This is the lowest number in the Sunshine State since 2004. Total turnout in that year's presidential primary was 20%. Democrat John Kerry defeated eight other candidates in Florida, moving on to a showdown with Republican incumbent George W. Bush.
Election experts believe the low turnout is a direct result of less competition at the polls this year.
“Voters don't just react to elections, they react to competition. And because there's no competition, there's less to react to,” said Dr. Ronna Atkeson, director of the LeRoy Collins Institute at Florida State University. .
*What makes a race competitive? Multiple candidates, Republican or Democratic, had competitors who did not drop out by the state's primary date.
| Year | presidential preference primary | It was the Florida presidential primary. Competitiveness? | election |
|---|---|---|---|
| the year of 2000 | 19% | No (Republican/Democrat) | 70% |
| 2004 | 20% | No (Republican/Democrat) | 74% |
| 2008 | 42% | Yes (Republican/Democrat) | 75% |
| year 2012 | 41% | Republicans: Yes, Democrats: No. | 72% |
| 2016 | 46% | Yes (Republican/Democrat) | 75% |
| 2020 | 30% | Republicans: No, Democrats: Yes. | 77% |
| 2024 | twenty one% | No (Republican/Democrat) | to be decided |
| county | Voter turnout |
|---|---|
| franklin | 27.00% |
| gadsden | 22.91% |
| hamilton | 25.10% |
| jefferson | 27.11% |
| lafayette | 22.16% |
| Leon | 23.04% |
| madison | 25.00% |
| swanee | 23.01% |
| taylor | 20.35% |
| Wakura | 20.49% |
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