Amendment 2 on the Florida ballot aims to increase the state’s minimum wage to $10 an hour by 2021 and then $15 an hour by the year 2026.
The results for this referendum could be the difference for Floridians who have lost their jobs and can’t afford the cost of living. If passed, Amendment 2 will raise wages for a quarter of Florida’s work force, impacting millions of lives.
“So if you look at who actually is earning minimum wage in Florida,” campaign manager of Florida for a Fair Wage Raymer Maguire said, “it’s not high school students, it’s not college students, the vast majority of minimum wage workers are over the age 25.”
Before taxes, full-time minimum wage workers make a little over $4,000 above the average cost of rent per year. That doesn’t include utilities such as water and internet.
When adjusted for inflation, Florida’s minimum wage of $8.56 is less than what it was a decade ago and currently below $12.39, Florida’s living wage of a single adult.
Young voters increase turnout over 2016 so far, reversing trend
The 2016 election results weighed heavily on low young-voter turnout. This year’s election has hundreds of thousands more voting even before Election Day than in the previous one. Over half a million young people have voted in Florida.
“The young vote is super important this year,” said Morgan Perez, a first-time voter. “I feel like not a lot of young voters came out in the 2016 election because they didn’t think their vote mattered.”
Hannah Wiand is another first-time voter this year. She said the election is extremely important.
“Whoever is president, it affects all of our lives, it affects all of the citizens of the United States’ lives,” Wiand said. “I think that being an active member of society and voicing your your vote can help in the long run. That’s why I think it’s important for everyone to vote.”
While young voters have turned out in record numbers, their votes may be flagged.
A new study from the University of Florida showed voters under the age of 24 are being flagged four times more than voters over the age of 65 because of missing or mismatched signatures on votes by mail, removing thousands of those ballots from the election.
Flagged voters will have until Thursday at 5 p.m to correct their signature or their vote will not count.
LGBTQ+ voters fight for rights because of Trump Supreme Court appointee
The LGBTQ+ community fear their rights being taken away as the Supreme Court evaluates a case that could allow private agencies to prevent same-sex couples from adopting.
“I turned 18 after the last elections,” Sara Frajerman, a USF student explained. “My entire civil rights are being decided by justices appointed by presidents I never had the chance to vote for.”
Nearly 800 people have sent letters to Florida senators asking them to support nationwide LGBTQ+ rights.
While no Florida laws protect LGBTQ+ communities from discrimination, 29.2 percent of the state’s hate crimes are based on sexual orientation. The results of this presidential election could determine suppression or liberation for the community.
Newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett made history after being confirmed solely by the Republican Party’s senators. A Supreme Court justice has not been confirmed without support from the minority party in at least 150 years, according to information provided by the Senate Historical Office.
Barrett pledged to remain unbiased on policy, but her public record has shown her to have to conservative religious views.
Police departments prepare for possible voting threats, violence
Law enforcement stood ready throughout the Bay area’s polls, due to recent threats and voter intimidation.
Florida voters received emails from people claiming to be part of the Proud Boys, a far-right nationalist group, but they have denied the claims. Government officials suspect Iran of being behind the threat to influence the election.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office added more deputies in St. Petersburg after early voters complained about two armed men dressed as security guards.
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco introduced a social media campaign to remind voters to be courteous at the polls, saying, “We want to make sure that the process that our Founding Fathers implemented is going safely, and that we all respect everybody’s opinion.
The Tampa Police Department compared the scale of Tuesday’s response to the Gasparilla Parade, which draws over 300,000 people.
American gets ready for election watch parties
Right now, people all over America are getting ready to watch the results of a historic election. Due to social distancing concerns, president of USF Democrats Sarah Glaser is planning a virtual watch party over Zoom. She says they’re more important now than ever before.
Glaser said, “It creates a sense of community and a support group, no matter what the results of the election are. I know we feel very divided and social distancing has made people feel even more alone.”
Even Oprah Winfrey hosted a virtual “Prayer Night” on Monday to ease anxiety and tension ahead of the election.
“My hope is that we will lean into and lean on something much greater than all of our knowing to endure the current times,” Winfrey said.
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Anchors: Diana Halum, Caylee Cottrell
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