FAU will serve as early-voting site for November midterms
Students will be able to cast their ballots early at a new polling site on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus, Palm Beach County’s elections supervisor said Tuesday.
A recent court ruling made it possible to open the polling location at FAU, which has an enrollment of more than 25,000 students.
A 2014 state opinion blocked voting on college campuses, but U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled the prohibition to be unconstitutional. He blasted the state’s ban, writing in his decision that “throwing up roadblocks in front of younger voters does not remotely serve the public interest.”
FAU’s polling site will be near student residence halls in Room 109 of the Housing and Residential Ed. Building just off West University Drive on Dade Avenue.
“The location is in the heart of the campus and should provide ease and access to the many students who live and commute to the university campus,” Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher said in a prepared statement. “We appreciate the partnership with FAU.”
Any person registered to vote in Palm Beach County can cast a ballot at Florida Atlantic University or at other early-voting sites throughout the county. In Palm Beach County, early voting will run from Oct. 22-Nov. 4. On Election Day, voters must report to their assigned precinct.
NextGen America, a group seeking to mobilize younger voters, hailed the decision to make FAU a polling site. Maya Humes, Florida media manager for the political organization, said early voting on college campuses will help busy students who are often juggling classes and a job make it to the polls.
“We’re thrilled by this news because we know that young voters are going to have even more power to cast their votes in November,” she said.
The University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of South Florida will also host early voting ahead of the Nov. 6 midterm elections.
Miami-Dade County had already confirmed its list of early-voting locations, and Florida International University will not serve as a site, said Suzy Trutie, a spokeswoman with the Miami-Dade elections office.
“The use of college campuses as early voting sites will be a consideration for future elections,” she said.