Will young Florida voters go to the polls next year?

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Feelings are mixed about Gov. Ron DeSantis and his courtship of young voters during his presidential announcement.

However, almost everyone agrees that young voters have the potential to influence the outcome of elections.

Momentum is building and young voters are becoming more energetic as the race for the White House takes shape.

“They want a fighter and I see the same thing on the left,” said Jake Hoffman, executive director of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans. “You want people who will actually get things done.”

Currently, the Tampa Bay Young Republicans measure the sentiment of their members and conduct polls to determine which Republican candidate in their group is the frontrunner.

The organization plans to announce a confirmation by the end of the week.

“It was a neck-and-neck race,” said Michelle Sassouni. “Almost 50/50 across the board. I’m excited to see if this announcement has any impact on that.”

Political interest among young voters is growing.

In Hillsborough County, 18-25 year olds are the leading constituency behind seniors aged 66 and over.

It’s a trend that Hillsborough County’s young Democrats are following.

“It’s really important that we start organizing and motivating young people now, rather than waiting six months before Election Day,” said Jackson McMillan, Treasurer of the Florida Young Democrats. “I’m happy to say that we’re really focused on that.”

Hillsborough County has 925,421 registered voters.

According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, around 38 percent of registered voters are under the age of 40.

“Voters under 40 are the lifeblood of politics, whether they know it or not,” said Jordi Zapata, president of the Hillsborough County Young Democrats. “We plan to make this a reality in the coming and future elections.”