We regularly hear Florida referred to as a “swing state” or “battleground state.” Indeed, Florida is predicted to be a top swing state for the 2020 general election, but what does that mean? We know it can be a little tough deciphering the onslaught of political terminology, so we’re here to break it down for you.
A swing state is a state where the two main political parties (aka, Democrat or Republican) have similar levels of support among voters which could be won by either party’s presidential candidate. Swing states are interchangeably referred to as battleground states, where significant campaign stops + ad spending are used by candidates to flip closely divided voters in their favor.
Swing states also determine which states will be decisive in the Electoral College. Florida has 29 electoral votes, and each candidate is required to reach a minimum of 270 votes in the electoral college to make it to the White House.
For 20+ years, Republicans have held the governor’s office and the majority in the Florida Legislature. DYK: Aside from the 1992 election, Florida has voted for every winner of the presidential election since 1964?
Florida was a Democratic stronghold from the Reconstruction era until 1952, before leaning toward the Republican party. In the mid-20th century, the state experienced an influx of diversity + a population explosion. This increased Florida’s number of electoral votes + influenced the state’s position as a swing state in the 21st-century.
The election of 2000 is considered to be the marker for when Florida entered swing state territory + every election since then has been extremely close.
The Washington Post recently broke down Florida’s political geography into “six states,” representing millions of voters with distinct voting trends + demographics. When analyzing the 2016 election, researchers found that Donald Trump won four states (Jax, Red South, Panhandle, North Central) and Hillary Clinton won two states ( I-4, South Florida).
Check out the Post’s full breakdown of our state here. We hope everyone exercises their right to vote, regardless of which candidate or party they support.
