Research firm maps out Florida voter differences by congressional districts

Source: APM Research Lab, “Representing US, 2018.” Available at: bit.ly/RepresentingUS.

Which of Florida’s districts boasts the oldest voters? Where has the greatest wealth ? Where are the voters most likely to split their ballot in November? New data from APM Research Lab, an arm of American Public Media, looks to unravel the mystery of voter behavior in every Congressional district.

The nonpartisan research entity uses interactive mapping software to help identify the greatest distinguishing factors for every U.S. House district in the United States, information researchers hope will “allow constituents and reporters to better understand the households about to cast their ballots.”

Key findings for Florida include the following tidbits:

Florida’s 11^th Congressional District, represented now by 69-year-old Republican Rep. Daniel Webster, hosts the oldest voter constituency in Florida with a median age of 56. It notably includes The Villages. But nine of America’s 10 oldest districts can be found in Florida, including the 6^th, 8^th, 12^th, 13^th, 16^th, 17^th, 18^th and 19^th.

Florida’s 5^th Congressional District, boasts the youngest constituency with a median age of 33. It’s now represented by Democratic Rep. Al Lawson, who is actually 7 months older than Webster.

Florida’s 4^th Congressional District, which includes northeast Jacksonville and is represented by Republican Rep. John Rutherford, boasts the highest median household income—about $68,000—of any Florida district, .

Florida’s 25^th Congressional District, now represented by Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, serves as home to the highest percentage of foreign-born voters for any House district in the country, with immigrants making up 58 percent of the electorate. Close behind is Florida’s 27^th Congressional District, with 55 percent of voters born outside the United States.

Speaking of the 27^th, that district is where Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton saw her best performance in a Republican-held district in Florida, which just may be part of why current Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen decided to retire this year.

APM says more than 30 independent variables can be toggled on its website, as demonstrated by this handy map showing voter median age by district.

Much of the information probably isn’t new to the political operatives living on caffeine and voter data in the waning hours before Florida’s August primary on Tuesday, but could make a handy reference for pundits and spin doctors unraveling the meaning of election returns in real time on Tuesday night or upon the general election in November.