In Lauderdale Lakes, the number of Democrats has dropped by nearly half since 1990 at what used to be a cornerstone of condo voting strength, Hawaiian Gardens. At the nondescript complex, where a traffic signal at the entrance is a blinking reminder of political influence, snowbirds from Quebec who can't vote have replaced elderly residents who could. The trend is being repeated in Hallandale, Sunrise and Deerfield Beach. A school bus now stops at the building each day. Backpacks are replacing Bermudas as the uniform of the day.
Political leaders see it.
They talk with increasing urgency about the need to confront these demographic changes by recruiting younger voters. But no coherent strategy has emerged. It is not Jewish. It is not Democratic. The oldest retirees in Broward and Dade still consider voting a solemn obligation.