Florida Voters Cast Ballots in High-Stakes 2026 Midterm Elections

Florida voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to decide the state's next governor, a U.S. Senate special election, and a variety of congressional and local races. Polls across the state began closing at 7 p.m. Eastern time, with the final precincts in the Florida Panhandle scheduled to close at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Election officials confirmed that any voters remaining in line at the time of closing would be permitted to cast their ballots.

The U.S. Senate special election features Republican incumbent Ashley Moody, who was appointed to the seat following the departure of Marco Rubio, against Democratic state Representative Angie Nixon. Independent candidate Neil Gillespie is also on the ballot. This contest will determine who serves the remainder of the term, which is set to expire in January 2029. Early reporting indicated a competitive race, with some data suggesting Nixon held a lead in early vote counts, including a notable margin in Miami-Dade County.

In the race for governor, Republican congressman Byron Donalds and Democratic challenger David Jolly are vying to succeed Governor Ron DeSantis, who is ineligible to run for a third consecutive term. The general election field also includes several third-party and no-party-affiliation candidates. The outcome of this race, along with the Senate contest, remains a primary focus for voters across the state.

Election Day operations faced challenges due to severe weather, with flooding forcing the relocation of 21 polling places across eight counties. In Brevard County, officials moved several precincts to temporary sites, including the New Shiloh Christian Center and the Joseph N. Davis Community Center, to ensure voters could access the polls. Authorities urged residents to verify their assigned polling locations through official state channels before traveling.

Turnout in some regions appeared robust, with Orange County officials reporting that more than 50% of voters had cast their ballots by late afternoon. Jeandelize Velez, a community outreach coordinator for the Orange County Supervisor of Elections, noted that the pace of voting was exceeding 2022 figures. Meanwhile, a minor technical issue involving a barcode system caused a brief delay at polling sites in Broward County early Tuesday morning, though officials stated the problem was resolved quickly and did not affect the integrity of the vote counts.

As the evening progresses, the Associated Press has indicated it will not declare winners in statewide races until all polls, including those in the Panhandle, have closed. While early results provide a preliminary look at the landscape, officials emphasized that these numbers are unofficial and subject to change as additional ballots are processed. Final results will require official certification before they are considered conclusive.