Bob Graham Center for Public Service

Gator GOTV Coalition & the UF Voter Engagement Plan

Our Center has invited a comprehensive list of UF student groups engaged in voter registration activities to join the 2020 Gator GOTV Coalition, an informal entity that will help student groups share information, access resources and connect to the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition.

See our plan for increasing voter engagement here.

2012 & 2016 Student Voting Rates for the University of Florida

2014 & 2018 Student Voting Rates for the University of Florida

Take the 2020 Census

Taking the census is critically important to making sure federal resources are properly allocated.

An undercount of the UF campus community in the 2010 Census contributed to a loss of $390 million in federal funding for Alachua County over the last decade.

You should be counted where you live and sleep most of the year and for most UF students, that means being counted within Gainesville.

To complete the census, head to my2020census.gov

(opens in new tab)Get Registered to Vote

UF TurboVote is an online tool that makes voting easy.

Visit the site below to register to vote and also request a vote-by-mail ballot. TurboVote will also send you text and email reminders about registration deadlines, upcoming elections, and where to vote.

UF Student Voting Guide 2020

For many University of Florida students, the 2020 Election will be the first chance they have to vote for the president of the United States.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3 (early voting has ended  in many locations in Florida, including Alachua County ). Polls will be open throughout Florida from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (EST).  If you are in line by the closing time, then you have a right to vote.

Unlike early voting, voters who wait till Election Day must vote in their assigned precinct.  Find your polling location location at this link. (opens in new tab) In Alachua County, you can access that information 24/7 at VoteAlachua.com (opens in new tab).

Voting hours at some precincts may be subject to change.  Check the hours of your local voting precinct at this link. (opens in new tab)

If you are voting by mail, be sure your completed ballot is returned to the respective supervisor of elections office before 7 p.m. on Election Day.

If you requested an absentee ballot but wish to vote at your precinct on Election Day, take the Vote-By-Mail ballot with you to the polls. If you don’t take the ballot with you to be cancelled, you may be instructed to vote a provisional ballot.

Check to See if Your Mail Ballot Has Been Counted (opens in new tab)

To vote in-person, wear a mask, and bring an official picture ID that bears your signature, like your Gator 1 card or your Florida’s driver’s license.

What’s On the Ballot

The Bob Graham Center for Public Service is nonpartisan and does not advocate for candidates or issues.  We provide these trusted links to the candidates and issues on the Florida ballot so UF students are prepared to make choices that represent their voice.

President of the United States

There are seven candidates on the Florida ballot. Learn about them and their platforms at this link: https://www.ballotready.org/v/positions/florida-president-of-the-united-states (opens in new tab)

Constitutional Amendments 

Each thumbnail opens a brief and informative video.

Sample Ballot

Obtain a ‘sample ballot’ online, which is a copy of the actual ballot you will receive at the polling station or on the vote-by-mail ballot. Your sample ballot will contain a complete list of offices and issues for which you are eligible to vote.

In Florida, you can download and print a sample ballot from this link:  Preview and download your sample ballot (opens in new tab)

New! Our Gators Vote Everywhere Ambassadors have created a mobile voter’s guide (opens in new tab) that you can download and take with you to the polls.

New! Our partners at TurboVote provide voting information for voters in all 50 states. Check it out at this link: https://howto.vote/ (opens in new tab)

Questions Frequently Asked by UF Student Voters

(Many thanks to the UF Gators Vote Everywhere Ambassadors (opens in new tab) for this information.)