Documenting Unusual Declines in Republican Voting Rates in Florida's Western Panhandle Counties in 2000

Abstract

Using voting data for presidential elections from 1976 to 2000, this paper documents an unusual and large drop off in Republican voting rates for Florida's western Panhandle during the 2000 general elections. Little change appears to have occurred in the rate that non-Republicans voted. The results appear more consistent with the early call that Democrats affected Republican voting rates than the networks discouraging all voters from voting by incorrectly calling the polls closed in the western Panhandle.

JEL Classification: H0, J70, J78