Open Primaries conducted a statewide phone survey of voters in Florida from 5 Jan 2016- 30 Jan 2016. Our list consisted of a random sample of registered voters who are identified as Independent or unaffiliated. We wanted to gauge voters’ opinion on the political environment in Florida, learn their views on the upcoming Presidential Primary, and provide voter education about nonpartisan election reform. The survey had 428 respondents from across the state.

1. FLORIDA VOTER
ATTITUDE SURVEY

2. Florida Poll Results
January 2016 2
About Open Primaries
Open Primaries represents a movement of Americans working to end partisanship and polarization
in politics through reform of the primary election system. We are a national voter empowerment
nonprofit that advocates for open, nonpartisan primary systems, counters efforts to impose closed
primaries, and builds coalitions of activists across the country. Our mission is to bridge the gap
between the American people and government by creating more platforms for voters’ voices to be
heard.

3. Methodology and Respondents
■ Open Primaries conducted a statewide phone survey of voters in Florida from 5 Jan 2016- 30
Jan 2016. Our list consisted of a random sample of registered voters who are identified as
Independent or unaffiliated.
■ Open Primaries wanted to gauge voters’ opinion on the political environment in Florida, learn
their views on the upcoming Presidential Primary, and provide voter education about
nonpartisan election reform.
■ The survey had 428 respondents from across the state.
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 3

4. Insights and Takeaways
■ There are 3.2 million registered independent or unaffiliated voters in Florida. They
are not eligible to vote in the 2016 Presidential Primary. 88% of Florida’s
independents believe that their exclusion is unfair and 87% want a more inclusive
political process.
■ 95% of Florida’s independent voters want to focus on good candidates and the
issues, not parties, with 88% believing that neither political party works for them.
■ Florida’s independent voters overwhelmingly support structural political change.
87% support a change to nonpartisan primaries, and 93% support a truly
independent redistricting commission.
■ In addition to our survey questions, we asked independent voters if they were willing
to sign a petition to the chairs of the Democratic and Republican parties in Florida
urging them to open the 2016 Presidential Primaries to independent voters. 83% of
respondents signed the petition.
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 4

5. Key Findings
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 5
In Florida, the number of voters registering as Independent has increased four fold since 1990—
almost half of new registered voters. Voters are registering as Independent at a faster rate than all
other parties combined. We asked respondents why so many voters may be registering as
independent. Slides 5-8 are their responses:
Agree, 95%
Disagree
5%
FLORIDIANS WANT TO SEE GOOD CANDIDATES, REGARDLESS OF WHAT
PARTY THEY ARE IN, AND BEING AN INDEPENDENT IS A WAY TO FOCUS
ON THE CANDIDATE AND THE ISSUES

6. Key Findings
Agree 88%
Disagree 12%
THE MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES SPEND TOO MUCH TIME FIGHTING AND NOT
ENOUGH TIME SOLVING PROBLEMS, SO IT MAKES SENSE NOT TO JOIN A
PARTY
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 6

7. Key Findings
Agree
12%
Disagree
88%
PEOPLE REGISTER AS INDEPENDENT BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY DON'T KNOW
ENOUGH ABOUT POLITICS TO JOIN A PARTY
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 7

8. Key Findings
Agree
73%
Disagree
27%
PEOPLE REGISTER AS INDEPENDENT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FEEL
REPRESENTED IN EITHER MAJOR PARTY.
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 8

9. Key Findings
Florida currently uses a closed primary system, where voters must be members of a political party to
vote in the primaries. This means Florida’s 3.2 million Independent or unaffiliated voters are
completely shut out.
Yes
15%
No
85%
DO YOU THINK OUR CURRENT VOTING SYSTEM IS FAIR TO INDEPENDENT
VOTERS?
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 9

10. Key Findings
Yes
88%
No
12%
DO YOU THINK INDEPENDENTS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN
DECIDING WHICH PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS MAKE THE CUT FOR THE
GENERAL ELECTION?
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 10

11. Key Findings
Yes
64%
No
36%
DO YOU THINK THE POLITICAL PARTIES ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO STIFLE
VOTER PARTICIPATION BY EXCLUDING INDEPENDENTS FROM PRIMARIES?
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 11

12. Key Findings
Yes
83%
No
17%
CAN I ADD YOUR NAME TO A LETTER TO THE CHAIRS OF THE FLORIDA
DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES ASKING THEM TO OPEN THE 2016
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES TO INDEPENDENTS?
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 12

13. Key Findings
Yes
87%
No
13%
AS OF RIGHT NOW, WOULD YOU VOTE FOR A BALLOT INITIATIVE TO ENACT
TOP TWO PRIMARIES IN FLORIDA?
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 13

14. Key Findings
Yes
87%
No
13%
DO YOU THINK WE NEED A MORE INCLUSIVE POLITICAL PROCESS IN ORDER
TO EMPOWER VOTERS?
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 14

15. Additional Findings
In July 2015, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state legislature intentionally drew
congressional district maps to favor Republican legislators. The court then ordered the legislature to
redraw the map. In other states, Arizona for example, elected officials don’t get to draw their own
maps. Instead, there is an independent commission charged with the task.
Legislators
7%
Independent Commission
93%
WHICH APPROACH WOULD YOU PREFER?
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 15

16. Additional Findings
16.5% 17.9%
28.8%
13.9%
12.3%
8.4%
2.3%
TOP CONCERNS OF VOTERS
Florida Poll Results
January 2016 16

17. Adriana Espinoza
Associate Director of Outreach
aespinoza@openprimaries.org
(602) 529-2353
For more information, contact: