Florida election news
- USThe Ledger
Lakeland officials could spend more time in office and get pensions under proposed changes
Among proposed changes to Lakeland's charters, elected officials could spend longer in office and possibly qualify for pensions.
6 min read - USPensacola News Journal
2024 elections: Gaetz draws GOP challenger and Ginger Bowden Madden re-elected to SAO
Noon on Friday marked the qualifying deadline for federal and judicial candidates in Florida.
2 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
Scott and Mucarsel-Powell are raring for a fight. They’ll have to win primaries first
Scott and Mucarsel-Powell are the overwhelming favorites to win their parties’ U.S. Senate nominations for Florida, but their primary rivals are warning not to count them out.
5 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
Miami-Dade Democrats tap state Sen. Shevrin Jones to lead struggling party
Jones will be tasked with ramping up the party’s fundraising and voter-registration operations, and trying to unite deeply fragmented Democratic organization.
3 min read - PoliticsWOFL
Vice President Harris to visit Florida on same day 6-week abortion ban begins
Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to travel to Jacksonville, Florida, next week for a campaign event highlighting abortion restrictions nationwide. It is billed as another stop in the "Fight for Reproductive Freedoms" tour, which the vice president kicked off in January.
2 min read - USWOFL
Cuban man accused of voting illegally in Florida
He's accused of falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen on voter registration applications and voting illegally in two local elections.
1 min read - USTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Hillsborough state attorney, public defender, judicial races take shape
Close to 50 Tampa Bay area judges drew no challengers by Friday, the election qualifying deadline, ensuring that most of the area’s jurists will be automatically reelected. Races for state attorney and public defender in Pinellas and Pasco counties also went unopposed, meaning the incumbents will remain in office for another four years. As the deadline for candidates to file to run passed, it ...
4 min read - USMiami Herald
Luther Campbell teased a bid for Congress. He didn’t follow through
The 2 Live Crew frontman, better known as “Uncle Luke,” missed a crucial deadline to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick in Florida’s 20th congressional district.
3 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
Who will take on Rick Scott in Senate election, and what local U.S. House races look like
While many hopefuls for the U.S. House and Senate have been on the trail for months, the end of the state’s qualifying period on Friday marks the official start of campaign season in Florida.
6 min read - USDaytona Beach News-Journal
Rep. Michael Waltz faces challenges, while Alan Grayson joins Democrats seeking Senate nod
The race for U.S. senator has incumbent Republican Rick Scott facing two primary challengers, John Columbus and Keith Gross. Five Dems are in the race.
4 min read - USTallahassee Democrat
State Attorney Campbell, Public Defender Yeary, 6 judges make 2024 ballot with no opposition
The state attorney and public defender for the 2nd Judicial Circuit will be automatically re-elected after they qualified without opposition.
2 min read - PoliticsFlorida Today
Eight-termer Posey won't seek reelection to Congress. Haridopolos among five seeking seat
Qualifying period ends with three Republicans, two Democrats qualifying to seek 8th District congressional seat in Brevard, Indian River counties
6 min read - PoliticsTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Who’s running for Congress in Florida in 2024?
The field of Florida candidates for Congress is set. The Sunshine State’s candidate qualifying deadline came and went at noon Friday, meaning Floridians now have a clear picture of the races for all 28 of the state’s congressional seats — and the race for U.S. Senate. The only incumbent who will be elected without opposition is Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who represents parts ...
4 min read - USWFLA
Cuban man arrested after illegally voting in Florida, FDLE says
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested a Cuban man after he was caught illegally voting multiple times, according to a release.
1 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
What are Trump and Biden’s biggest weaknesses? Poll reveals what Americans think
Both candidates come with distinct vulnerabilities, the poll found.
2 min read - USMiami Herald
Do Florida Hispanics support the marijuana and abortion amendments? What the polls say
For Florida’s vast and influential Hispanic electorate, it’s not clear if abortion access is going to be the winning issue that Democrats and activists hope it will be.
7 min read - USThe News-Press
Cape Council delays pay issue: November voters locked out of decision
The Cape Coral City Council choose not to move forward with a referendum on council pay in 2024.
5 min read - PoliticsTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Biden campaign opens Hillsborough office, says it’s serious about Florida
President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign gave another indication Thursday that it’s serious about winning Florida. The campaign announced that it will open a field office in Hillsborough County — its first in the state. The announcement comes on the heels of a presidential visit earlier this week to Tampa, where the president bashed his opponent, former President Donald Trump, for his stance ...
2 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
Vice President Kamala Harris to visit Florida to talk about abortion rights
Vice President Kamala Harris will campaign in Florida on the day the state’s six-week abortion ban is set to take effect.
1 min read - USWFTV
These 7 candidates have qualified for Orlando’s District 5 election
The first district forum hosted by Missing Voices Missing Votes set the tone for the election.
2 min read - PoliticsPalm Beach Daily News
UNF poll says Trump could lose 9% of his voters if he is convicted on criminal charges
Trump has entered a not guilty plea and has denied claims he had an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
4 min read - USMiami Herald
What you need to know about the six constitutional amendments on Florida’s 2024 ballot
The ballot is hard to read. We make it easy to understand.
6 min read - USPanama City News Herald
Next chapter: Mark Andersen to retire as Bay County supervisor of elections after 23 years
Mark Andersen is set to officially retire as Bay County supervisor of elections on June 6. He has held the position since 2001.
2 min read - PoliticsWJAX
UNF national poll: Trump up by 2% among likely voters, Biden supporters unenthusiastic about voting
A new national poll from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) asked likely voters across the country about various national policy issues, the 2024 vote choice and select candidate favorability.
7 min read - USHerald-Tribune
Venice council to ask city voters to lengthen terms to four years, end odd-year elections
Council Member Ron Smith angered fellow board members when the characterized the process as 'corrupt'
6 min read - PoliticsWFLA
Arizona indicts 18 in case over 2020 election in Arizona, including Giuliani and Meadows
Eleven Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring that Donald Trump beat Joe Biden in Arizona in the 2020 presidential election were charged Wednesday with conspiracy, fraud and forgery, marking the fourth state to bring charges against “fake electors.”
5 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
Donald Trump picks a favorite in the crowded race for Miami-Dade County sheriff
Will the Trump endorsement be the key to victory in the GOP sheriff primary? And will it hurt or help in November?
2 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
Nikki Haley wins 17% of vote in Pennsylvania GOP primary. Is it warning sign for Trump?
One Democratic strategist called it a “major” red flag for Republicans.
3 min read - PoliticsWFLA
George Santos ends comeback bid for Congress after raising no money
Former U.S. Rep. George Santos on Tuesday said he is dropping his longshot bid to return to Congress, months after he was expelled from the House while facing a slew of federal fraud charges. Santos, who was running as an independent candidate for the 1st Congressional District in New York, said he was withdrawing from the race […]
2 min read - USThe News-Press
A Cape Coral PAC's referendums on Jaycee Park, stipend fails to qualify for 2024 ballot
Cape Coral Preservation PAC's referendums on Jaycee Park and stipends fails to qualify on the November ballot with the group vowing to continue work.
4 min read - USWFTV
Orange County School Board approves putting half-cent sales tax on ballot; what comes next
Orange County voters could soon decide to extend the half-cent sales tax to help renovate schools.
1 min read - USWOFL
Orange County Public Schools approves sales tax referendum to support district improvements
The Orange County Public Schools Board unanimously voted for a half-cent sales tax to possibly be on the November election ballot.
1 min read - USOrlando Sentinel
Orange School Board votes to extend half-penny sales tax for 10 more years
Orange County voters this November will likely be asked to keep paying an extra half-penny in sales tax so a school construction program that has renovated or replaced 136 older campuses and built 65 new ones can continue for another 10 years. The Orange County School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to put the sales tax — which in 20 years has raised more than $4 billion for school ...
4 min read - PoliticsWJAX
President Biden leans in backing Florida abortion initiative, while Trump avoids taking a stance
Action News Jax spoke with political experts who say the move signals that the Biden campaign sees the upcoming abortion amendment as a winning issue.
2 min read - USMiami Herald
Weeks after a loss in Surfside, Shlomo Danzinger files to run for Miami-Dade mayor
Can the Republican former mayor oust the Democratic incumbent, Daniella Levine Cava?
3 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
Biden predicts Floridians will pass ballot initiative to protect abortion access
Biden’s visit to Tampa came just a week before a six-week abortion ban goes into effect in Florida
4 min read - PoliticsTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Here’s what Biden said in Tampa — and how his critics responded
TAMPA — At his first Tampa Bay area stop of 2024, President Joe Biden hammered Republicans on an issue that his campaign hopes will be at the top of voters’ minds come November: abortion. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections in 2022, Democrats have made the issue a top campaign priority, promising to protect access to abortion while Republicans around the ...
4 min read - USTallahassee Democrat
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody weighs in on 'backing the blue' in Tallahassee
In front of a group of Tallahassee business owners, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody emphasized the need to "back the blue."
4 min read - PoliticsWFLA
Trump shows ‘formidable lead’ over Biden among Florida voters, FAU poll says
Former President Donald Trump continues to hold a strong lead over President Joe Biden in the state of Florida, according to a poll published Thursday by Florida Atlantic University.
3 min read - USTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
The strange but true tale of dueling polls in the Rays stadium saga
ST. PETERSBURG — Soon, the great stadium debate will be in the hands of elected officials. The details of the plan to reimagine the Tropicana Field parcel has taken more than a year to negotiate with the Rays, developers, Pinellas County and St. Petersburg all playing a role in what eventually will be a multibillion-dollar project that could define downtown’s future. And now that financing and ...
5 min read - USThe Gainesville Sun
What are single-member districts and why might they be on local ballots this year?
County commissioners are looking to create a ballot measure that would ask voters to decide whether they want to keep single-member districts.
4 min read - PoliticsWFLA
‘We’re going to hold Trump accountable’: President Biden speaks on abortion rights at Tampa campaign stop
One week before Florida's six-week abortion ban takes effect, President Joe Biden is in Tampa to champion reproductive freedom.
7 min read - PoliticsTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Joe Biden is in Tampa today. Here’s what you need to know.
President Joe Biden is making a campaign stop in Tampa this afternoon, where he plans to emphasize his support for abortion rights. It will be the first official stop for the Biden campaign in the Tampa Bay area during the 2024 election season, and it comes as his campaign looks to make the case that an increasingly conservative Florida is still winnable for Democrats. Here’s what you need to ...
3 min read - PoliticsWFLA
Biden visits Tampa to talk about Florida’s six-week abortion ban
President Joe Biden is wading deeper into the fight over abortion rights that has energized Democrats since the fall of Roe vs. Wade, traveling to Florida to assail the state’s forthcoming ban and similar restrictions that have imperiled access to care for pregnant women nationwide.
5 min read - PoliticsPalm Beach Daily News
With inflation up again, Trump says U.S. was better off 4 years ago. Well, except for that pandemic.
Inviting the comparison, some have commented, lacks self-insight by Trump. Among those is Biden, who reminding about Trump's theorizing at the time about the use of disinfectants and sunlight to combat the coronavirus.
9 min read - USHerald-Tribune
Major new roles for local officials change landscape for 2024 Manatee County elections
New candidates have tossed their name into the ring for key Manatee County political seats.
6 min read - USHerald-Tribune
Third Democrat files to run for seat on Sarasota Public Hospital Board
The move by Alan Jerome Sprintz closes the primary on third of four hospital board races; Democrats target conservative 'medical freedom' slate
5 min read - PoliticsTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
How often does a sitting US president visit Tampa Bay? You’d be surprised.
Florida may not be quite the presidential swing state it once was. In the 2020 election, with its electorate shifting gradually to the right, Sunshine State voters went for Donald Trump — only the second time since 1960 that Florida didn’t back the eventual winner. But one thing you can count on: If it’s a presidential election year, the president will usually make at least one stop in Tampa ...
5 min read - USTallahassee Democrat
Leon County Supervisor of Elections offering free vote-by-mail postage in 2024
Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley announced Monday that his office will pick up the tab for vote-by-mail postage, starting with the Aug. 20 primary.
2 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
Who will take the witness stand in Trump hush money trial? Here’s the list of names
A cast of colorful characters, including Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, are expected to testify.
3 min read - WorldMiami Herald
Few have heard his name. Here’s why that makes him a dangerous rival to Venezuela’s Maduro
He came out of left field, a candidate who until late last week very few people had heard of, but diplomat Edmundo González is being portrayed today as Venezuela’s greatest chance to recover its democracy, following a sudden decision by the major opposition parties to unite behind his presidential bid.
3 min read - USWFLA
DeSantis has one of the highest disapproval ratings for governors: poll
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has one of the highest disapproval ratings among U.S. governors, a national survey from Morning Consult found.
1 min read - PoliticsWFLA
Prosecutors to make history with opening statements in hush money case against Trump
For the first time in history, prosecutors will present a criminal case against a former American president to a jury Monday as they accuse Donald Trump of a hush money scheme aimed at preventing damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public.
3 min read - USPanama City News Herald
'A great place': Ethan Register secures Ward 2 seat on Panama City Beach Council
"I'm just looking forward to being able to serve our community. "I don't have any other particular motives than to do what's best for the families."
3 min read - PoliticsTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
DeSantis has one of the highest governor disapproval ratings, poll finds
Gov. Ron DeSantis has one of the highest disapproval ratings among governors in the country, according to a new survey conducted by Morning Consult, while he remains very popular among the state’s Republican voters. DeSantis’s disapproval rating of 44% was tied for the third-highest of any governor in the survey, which tracks voter sentiment in each politician’s state. The figure ranked behind ...
2 min read - USTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
It’s official: Andrew Warren is running. Now, does he have a chance?
At Tampa’s Martin Luther King Jr. Parade last year — a must-attend event for local pols — here came Suzy Lopez, Hillsborough’s state attorney, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis after he booted Andrew Warren from the job in a political firestorm. As Lopez handed out beads and waved to paradegoers, Warren was greeting crowds and posing for pictures just down the parade route. Warren, who was ...
8 min read - USThe Ledger
Sara Beth Wyatt files to run for third term on Polk County School Board
Sara Beth Wyatt was first elected to the Polk County School Board in 2016 at age 24 and gained a second term without facing any opposition in 2020.
2 min read - PoliticsWFLA
President Biden to deliver speech in Tampa denouncing Florida’s 6-week abortion ban
President Joe Biden is set to visit Tampa on Tuesday to denounce Florida's six-week abortion ban, which goes into effect on May 1.
2 min read - USWFLA
Person rushed away on a stretcher after fire extinguished outside Trump hush money trial
Emergency crews rushed away a person on a stretcher after fire was extinguished outside the Manhattan courthouse where jury selection was taking place Friday in Donald Trump's hush money criminal case.
4 min read - USPanama City News Herald
Callaway re-elects two city commissioners by wide margins
Commissioners Bob Pelletier and Kenneth Ayers each won about 62% of the vote Tuesday to cruise to re-election wins.
1 min read - USTCPalm | Treasure Coast Newspapers
Referendum 2024: should Sebastian councilmembers serve four-year terms?
Sebastian city council passed an ordinance for a referendum to be held in November to extend term lengths of city councilmembers to four years
3 min read - USMiami Herald
Buttigieg to visit Miami to rally support for Biden’s reelection campaign
The transportation secretary’s visit is the latest sign of renewed interest in Florida by Biden’s campaign.
2 min read - USMiami Herald
Filmmaker Billy Corben says he will run for Miami-Dade Democratic Party chair
His announcement puts the acerbic “Cocaine Cowboys” director in contention with state Sen. Shevrin Jones, who announced a bid for chairman this week.
4 min read - PoliticsMiami Herald
How serious are charges in Trump’s NY criminal trial? What Americans say in new poll
The poll also asked respondents about the seriousness of the three other criminal cases against the former president.
3 min read - USThe Gainesville Sun
Clemons asks state officials to weigh in on Newberry charter vote controversy
A ballot was thrown out, resulting in the charter conversion initiative for Newberry Elementary School failing.
2 min read - USTallahassee Democrat
Inside the war chests: Caban political committee raises $125K; Ferguson pulls closer to Porter
Leon County Commissioner Christian Caban's political committee took in more money last quarter than any of the other campaigns.
8 min read - PoliticsPalm Beach Daily News
For senate, Rick Scott leads Democratic challenger by wide margin in FAU-Mainstreet poll
The survey by Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research has Scott leading former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell by 52% to 36%.
2 min read - PoliticsPalm Beach Daily News
Gov. Casey DeSantis? FAU poll said first lady would be a leading GOP candidate for governor.
Casey DeSantis drew 37% while Pensacola Congressman Matt Gaetz, a far-right Donald Trump ally often mentioned as a successor to Gov. Ron DeSantis, received 15%.
1 min read - PoliticsTampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
President Joe Biden to visit Tampa next week
TALLAHASSEE — President Joe Biden is making a campaign stop in Tampa on Tuesday in his latest visit to the donor-rich Sunshine State. More details about his visit, including whether he will be making public remarks, are forthcoming, according to a Biden campaign official. Winning Florida in November seems an uphill battle for the president. Donald Trump has consistently led in the polls, and a ...
1 min read - PoliticsPalm Beach Daily News
Trump is funneling campaign money into cash-strapped businesses. Experts say it looks bad
Donald Trump’s main 2024 White House campaign fundraising operation sharply increased spending at the former president's properties in recent months.
8 min read - USPanama City News Herald
'A better place to live': Panama City Beach residents elect Stuart Tettemer as mayor
Stuart Tettemer, who is slated to become the next mayor of Panama City Beach, says officials often overlook the needs of residents for tourists.
4 min read - USWFTV
Orange County of Elections implements new Statewide Vote-by-Mail Written Request Form
The Orange County Supervisor of Elections office had implemented a Statewide Vote-by-Mail (VBM) Written Request Form before the April 17 deadline to comply with new statutes.
2 min read - PoliticsOrlando Sentinel
Florida Democrats put up billboards to find candidates for November
ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida Democrats are putting up billboards in four counties to recruit candidates for dozens of legislative and congressional races where the party has yet to find someone to run in November. “You’re already a leader. Run for office,” state the billboards, which are appearing in Seminole, Polk, Miami-Dade and Madison counties. The appeal, which also will include digital ads, ...
4 min read - USWOFL
Florida Democrats launch campaign to recruit new candidates
The Florida Democratic Party hopes a new billboard campaign across the state will help push people to run for office. One area of focus is Seminole County.
3 min read - USWFTV
‘What a legacy’: Florida remembers former governor, U.S. senator Bob Graham
Bob Graham -- a two-term Florida governor and a three-term U.S. senator -- died Tuesday at age 87.
3 min read - USWFLA
Hillsborough Commissioners to reduce funding to public schools if voters approve new community investment tax
The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners approved a compromise deal on Wednesday to extend a half-cent sales tax, known as the Community Investment Tax.
2 min read - USWFLA
Andrew Warren talks about his decision to run for the office again
"The truth is, I did my job and I did it well."
3 min read - USWTVT
Suspended Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren confident he will win third term
Beaming with confidence, ousted State Attorney Andrew Warren says he is running for a third term and feels unstoppable.
2 min read - USThe Gainesville Sun
The results: Will any of Newberry's schools convert to public charter?
Counting of the votes lasted nearly 6 hours, with some breaks in-between.
8 min read
