The 2026 elections in Florida will feature a Primary Election on August 18, 2026, and a General Election on November 3, 2026 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]. These elections will include races for governor, along with other state and local offices [1] [2].

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The incumbent Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is term-limited and cannot seek a third consecutive term [2]. Florida is considered a moderately to strongly Republican state, having not elected a Democratic governor since 1994 [2]. Republicans currently hold all statewide offices, a majority of the state's U.S. House delegation, both U.S. Senate seats, and supermajorities in both houses of the Florida Legislature [2].

Key dates for the 2026 Florida elections include:

• Primary Election Day: August 18, 2026 [1] [3] [4] [5] [6].
  • Deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation: July 20, 2026 [3] [4] [6].
  • Deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot: August 6, 2026 [3] [4].
  • Mandatory early voting period: August 8 – 15, 2026 [3].
• General Election Day: November 3, 2026 [1] [3] [4] [5] [6].
  • Deadline to register to vote: October 5, 2026 [3] [4] [6].
  • Deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot: October 22, 2026 [3] [4].
  • Mandatory early voting period: October 24 – 31, 2026 [3].

In addition to statewide elections, various local elections will also occur throughout 2026. For example, Miami-Dade County has municipal elections scheduled in January, February, March, April, August, and November, with potential run-off elections in November and December [4]. Palm Beach County also has a special primary election for State Representative District 87 on January 13, 2026, and municipal elections on March 10, 2026 [5].

Candidates for the 2026 Florida gubernatorial election include several declared and potential candidates from both Republican and Democratic parties [2]. On the Republican side, declared candidates include Charles Burkett, Byron Donalds, James Fishback, and Paul Renner [2]. Jay Collins and Wilton Simpson have publicly expressed interest [2]. For the Democrats, Jerry Demings and David Jolly are declared candidates, while Al Lawson and Angie Nixon have publicly expressed interest [2]. Independent candidates, such as Jason Pizzo, and Libertarian candidates, such as Scott Jewett, have also filed paperwork or expressed interest [2].

Florida operates as a "closed primary" state, meaning only voters registered with a political party can vote in that party's primary election. However, all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, can vote on issues and nonpartisan races during a primary election and for any candidate or question in a general election [6].