Florida's Latest News

Florida Democrats have voter advantage, but it’s shrinking

Florida Democrats still have a voter registration advantage over Republicans, but it’s getting slimmer.

Democrats have just more than 5.3 million voters registered for the Nov. 3 election, compared to nearly 5.2 million for Republicans, according to statistic released by the Florida Department of State.

The overall difference is 134,242 in favor of Democrats. But that’s down from a 327,435 advantage Democrats had in the last presidential election, when President Donald Trump carried Florida over Hillary Clinton by a mere 1.2 percentage points.

This year’s contest between Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden is also expected to be close, and Florida’s 29 electoral college votes are considered crucial for Trump.

How are Florida’s high school seniors going to go to college if they can’t take SAT?

Many high school seniors are facing a pandemic-induced hurdle as they prepare to apply to college: They’ve not been able to take the required standardized tests.

The virus forced many schools to cancel SAT and ACT tests, and Florida public universities require those test scores for admissions. Unlike most other states, Florida has refused to back away from that requirement.

As a result, parents and students have been anxious as the Nov. 1 deadline to apply approaches.

University of South Florida closing College of Education

Faculty at the University of South Florida learned Wednesday that the university will be eliminating its College of Education, a program that had once been the fifth largest college of education in the country, according to reports from the USF St. Petersburg student newspaper, The Crow's Nest.  

The plan is for the school to phase out its bachelors of education degree over the next few years, as the current students enrolled in the program finish their degrees. The master's program will be shifted into another college, and the university will close the door on its College of Education.

The move comes as interest in teaching nationwide has plummeted, while school districts look for ways to entice teachers into the field. The College of Education at USF is taking a major hit as the university makes state-mandated budget cuts, brought on by decreasing tax revenues. 

Florida Constitution amendments on Nov. 3 ballot: What they do, pro and con

Florida voters will decide on six amendments on the fall ballot this year, including one that would raise the minimum wage in the state to $15 an hour and another that would dramatically change the way residents elect their state leaders.

Here, in plain English, is a look at the six proposals, which must be approved by 60% of the voters to be enacted.

Amendment 1

WHAT IT SAYS: It would slightly change the state constitution to say that “only a citizen” of the United States can vote.