First Coast News is taking a closer look at polling locations on the First Coast ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
With early voting underway, the Duval County Supervisor of Elections office has made a few adjustments.
But some voters feel there is a greater problem not being addressed -- college students can’t early vote on their own campuses.
A sign written in Spanish on the Edward Waters College campus says it is not an early voting site. The University of North Florida is in the same situation.
This is disappointing to Duval County voters like Gary Hunter. He thinks greater access would mean a greater number of votes.
“Work with the school and educational system so we educate the kids how this [early voting] works,” Hunter said.
There are 18 early voting sites open around Duval County, but none are on college campuses. The Duval County Democratic Party says they are looking for consistency and that there are early voting sites open at other colleges across Florida.
“Why is this election any different?" Daniel Henry, chairman of the Duval County Democratic Party said. "We’re talking about the highest elected office, we’re talking about giving people a voice to be heard. If they [the Supervisor of Elections office] are going to say it’s for saving money or access, that’s not consistent across the state.”
Duval County’s Supervisor of Elections Mike Hogan says both EWC and UNF were the lowest-performing precincts during previous elections in 2018 and 2019.
“The situation with EWC, the turnouts been abysmal, there are few students there first of all, and that’s also the heaviest concentration of early voting sites in the area,” Hogan said.
He said UNF has helped alleviate long lines at nearby voting sites and they will keep that on record when looking at future polling locations. Hogan feels there are enough sites open already but says there is always room to grow.
“South Jacksonville, those folks are underserved…they are having to drive a few miles to get to sites, [there is] tremendous growth in the Bartram area,” he said. “We need at least one more [precinct]."
The Duval County Democratic Party says they filed a public records request for turnout data and other documents that led to the decision to leave college campuses out of early voting for the 2020 election. Hunter feels the decision leaves college students in a poor position.
“These kids will be part of the largest voting block in America," he said. "You have to work with the school to let them know they can vote here, the community will rally around and numbers will pick up.”
Hogan says that it is likely both UNF and EWC will be used as polling locations during November’s general elections.
You can find a list of early voting sites here.