New voters find major parties less appealing

The number of minor party and independent voters has continued to increase in the weeks leading up to next month's general election, and about half of all new voters in Sarasota County since 2012 have registered with no party affiliation.

The increase continued a trend over the last 16 years that has seen minor-party and no-party-affiliation voters account for 51 percent of new voter registrations since 2000.

More than a quarter of the county’s 301,818 registered voters for the Nov. 8 general election were either not affiliated with a party or were affiliated with a minor party — almost nine percentage points more than in 2000. The rise is consistent with a statewide shift showing a rise in no party affiliation, according to data from the Florida Division of Elections.

In comparison, about 43 percent of the county's voters are registered as Republicans — an almost 10 percentage point decrease since the 2000 election. The percentage of registered Democrats has stayed consistent at about 30 percent over that period.

“People are disillusioned by both of the parties,” Sarasota County Elections Supervisor Kathy Dent said. “They don’t align themselves with either one, and I often think that it has to do with the fact that there’s just a logjam. Nothing’s getting done, period, on either side of the aisle.”

The statewide numbers show a similar shift. Republican Party registration for the general election stands at about 4.5 million, compared with about 4.2 million in 2012 and 3.4 million in 2000. Democrats are at 4.8 million, compared with  4.78 million in 2012 and 3.8 million in 2000. Meanwhile, minor- and no-party-affiliation voters stand at about 3.4 million, up from 2.9 million in 2012 and 1.5 in 2000.   

Statewide, Democrats account for about 38 percent of registered voters for this election and Republicans 35.6 percent. Independents make up about 26.5 percent. 

Daniel Smith, a political science professor at the University of Florida who specializes in voter registration and election, said although the number of active voters identifying as Republican has stayed strong in Sarasota County, the rise in no party affiliation in part can be attributed to the Hispanic voting population.

Comments made by Trump about Hispanics have driven many new registrants from the Republican party, he said. In the 1990s, about 35 percent of Hispanic registrants identified as Republican. As of Sept. 30, only about 13.5 percent did.

“If you’re seeing an anti-Trump effect, it’s with Hispanics,” Smith said. “I think this could be a watershed election in terms of Hispanics.”

Keishen Lloyd, a Ringling College of Art and Design film junior, registered to vote during the first week of October, one of about 3,200 people in the Sarasota County to register in the month before the Oct 18 deadline. In the past, he hasn’t had much interest in politics, but this election changed that.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the country so split,” the 20-year-old said. “America’s kind of losing its mind.”

While on campus, Lloyd said the college had set up tables encouraging students to register to vote. On social media, information and news surrounding both Clinton and Trump flooded his feed.

“I feel like with this election, it’s going to be very close,” Lloyd said. “Every vote counts.”

The state's registration deadline was extended from Oct. 11 to Oct. 18 by court order because of Hurricane Matthew.