Voting is not only a privilege, but it should also be considered a right, especially for African Americans in America. Since 2000, Florida has rocked back and forth between democratic and republican support. The last time Florida was blue was in 2012, when President Obama was re-elected.
During this year’s election, most of the state was predominately red, with only Leon, Gadsen, Duval, Alachua, Orange, Palm Beach, and Broward counties being the only blue counties in this year’s election.
Voting was officially established in 1845 for Florida after the state joined the union. Although the story of voting seems rather mundane, the journey to being legally allowed to vote in Florida for African Americans was anything but easy sailing. Riots, massacres, and burning crosses are some of the dangers faced while attempting to vote.
“I did not think he was going to win, and I feel if Biden had not messed up his debate, he wouldn’t have dropped out of the race,” shared a background character.
Just under a century ago, black people were not allowed to vote or frequent the same spaces as whites in the South. As a result, segregation eventually became a set of laws under the guise of Jim Crow, which prohibited African Americans severely in several ways. They received lower wages, poor living conditions, no rights as citizens, and an inability to vote, which was one of many disadvantages. It is essential that we indulge and practice our right to vote.
This year’s election proved challenging, leaving many people in awe and nervous about what tomorrow holds due to their racial, cultural, and environmental background, as it is clear this election is a pivotal turning of the century moment for America.
“I’m not really into politics. I was disappointed, just like everyone else. I would have loved to see a different outcome. I’m not sure if it will affect me any more than it does now. I did, however, vote, so I’m hopeful,” said Koriyah Butler, a 2nd-year cyber-security major.
According to an online source, the 2024 election had the state’s highest turnout in over 30 years. However, despite this, many people are worried about the livelihood of the state and their respective place within society as whispers of economic collapse become louder, minimum wage jobs are hardly enough to sustain a single household, let alone families, and it’s much worse in Southern states like Florida where the average person is just barely living paycheck to paycheck.
“I feel like the election shows that there are still a lot of male chauvinists, and it proves that despite the other candidate’s qualifications and being a good possible candidate, people aren’t willing to accept that,” said Joshua Donaldson, a 3rd-year criminal justice major.
According to a survey by fairvote.com, 49% of black voters believe they voted for the lesser of two evils, with another 50% being Gen Z. Within the state of Florida, black votes had a higher turnout than in previous years, and hopefully, the momentum continues to grow.
Exercising the right to vote ensures that generations who risked their lives to vote have been vindicated from the Ocoee massacre, where an entire town was essentially murdered and chased out of town during a voting election in 1920. Several other unfortunate acts of intimidation have taken place over the years against African Americans to prevent citizens from practicing a natural right.
The old saying is true: your power is in the ballot you cast; if you decide never to vote, the work of those who sacrificed and suffered in the past will go in vain. The importance of voting is more profound than just choosing another candidate statewide or nationally; it is also a sacred practice of using your voice on matters that will affect your everyday life and the ones you love; never be afraid to put it to use.
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