UF student voter turnout on campus saw a slight increase during Tuesday’s Gainesville city elections as compared with previous years.
On Tuesday, 363 voters, or about 6 percent of the 5,645 Alachua County registered voters who live on campus, cast ballots at the Reitz Union precinct, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections website.
In 2010, student turnout was about 2 percent.
In 2007, about 1 percent of students went to the polls.
Of the 363 votes cast at the Reitz Union, 87 left the choice for mayor blank, according to the Supervisor of Elections website.
Supervisor of Elections Pam Carpenter said the number who didn’t vote for mayor could suggest some students focused on voting in the District 4 City Commission race, which pitted incumbent Randy Wells, W.E. “Mac” McEachern and 20-year-old UF building construction junior Alfredo Espinosa for the seat.
The city as a whole received wider participation, with about 15 percent of registered voters going to the polls.
Carpenter said the turnout is normal for city elections.
However, some students remained disengaged in the process.
Samantha Webster, a 19-year-old UF music and engineering freshman, said she wasn’t interested in voting because she doesn’t feel as invested in Gainesville as she does in her hometown.
“I wouldn’t vote ... because I don’t consider this city my city,” she said.
Contact Kelcee Griffis at kgriffis@alligator.org.
