Melissa Ross
It’s long been viewed as something of an irony in the River City. Jacksonville belies Florida’s reputation as the nation’s haven for gray-haired 70+ snowbirds. Is is actually the youngest city in the state, with a median age of 35.
But the Jax millennials, despite their large numbers, haven’t been much of a force, as a small but influential group of older power brokers has traditionally run the town.
There have been recent rumblings of a generational shift, though, most notably with the growth of the city’s One Spark Festival- created and run by Millennials (though financed by Baby Boomer Peter Rummell).
Now, young politicos are flexing their muscles in North Florida too, with the announcement of the new Jax Young Voters Coalition.
“Our goal is to increase voter turnout in Duval County among voters aged 18 to 40 by at least five percent in the upcoming elections,” says founder Meredith O’Malley Johnson.
Johnson says the bipartisan group will use social media and non-traditional marketing tactics to excite young voters. The group has also formed a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for a political action committee.
The 2011 city election turnout in Jacksonville was low overall, around 29% for the March election and 37% for the general, but especially dismal for 18 to 40 year olds that year, at 18.5% for the March unitary contest and around 25% in the runoff.
Johnson says those numbers can be increased. “Together, we have decided that we have a responsibility to define what our generation’s legacy will be for our city,” she said. “The results of our upcoming city elections will determine whether we will have leaders who plan to truly invest in our city to make it even better, or leaders who are content with maintaining a culture of mediocrity and sustaining the status quo.”
