Florida Turnout Falls Below 61%, Leaving Over 5 Million Registered Voters at Home
A record number of registered citizens skipped the Nov. 3 general election, a trend that mirrors low participation rates in local and campus-level contests.
By Rafael Collins ·
More than five million registered Florida residents did not vote in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The state’s voter registration list includes 13,672,122 people. Only about 60.81% of those eligible cast a ballot.
The low participation rate mirrors a national trend. The University of Florida’s election lab reports that nearly 90 million people skipped the 2024 presidential election. That race featured the second-largest voter turnout in American history. Despite that high level of engagement, millions of Americans still chose not to participate.
Local elections show an even sharper drop in participation. The University of Miami held a Student Government Senate election in fall 2026. Only 687 students cast votes. With more than 12,000 full-time undergraduates, that figure represents approximately 5.7% of the student body.
Ava Stroshane, the chair of the student government elections commission, said a lack of awareness is a primary barrier. She noted that many students are unaware that elections are occurring or do not know what is on the ballot. Her team attempted to increase turnout by contacting departments and organizations to share informational flyers. They also hosted tabling events that offered free cookies and pizza to students.
Those outreach efforts coincided with a 50% increase in turnout compared to the previous fall semester. Despite that growth, the majority of undergraduates still did not vote. Abigail Lara, the public relations chair for Get Out the Vote, a nonpartisan student organization, said similar barriers affect voters in larger elections. She identified a lack of accessible information about the voting process as a main obstacle.
Get Out the Vote works to educate students on registration deadlines and early voting schedules. The group also helps students understand how to register in Florida. Lara stated that the organization aims to ensure every student feels informed and empowered to use their voice. She observed that many students believe a single vote will not make a meaningful difference. This perception leads some to disengage from the process entirely.
Elected officials make decisions on education, health care, and the economy. These are issues that Gen Z consistently identifies as most important to them. Choosing not to vote means giving up the opportunity to influence who makes those decisions. No candidate is perfect, and voting does not require agreeing with every position a candidate takes. It requires taking the time to understand the choices available and deciding who best represents your interests.
