TAMPA, Fla.—The first in-person votes for the 2026 midterm elections in Florida were cast on Oct. 19, as polls in more than 30 counties opened their doors.
Voters will, among other decisions, choose who will succeed Ron DeSantis as governor—Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) or former Rep. David Jolly, a former Republican running as a Democrat.
They will also determine whether Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) will keep her seat. She is running against state Rep. Angie Nixon, who won her Democratic primary as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Florida’s electorate will approve or defeat an amendment lowering property taxes across the state, and some voters will choose their U.S. representative in newly drawn congressional districts.
In Hillsborough County, voters can go to the polls from Oct. 19 to Nov. 1. This is the longest window of opportunity allowed by Florida’s Division of Elections before Election Day on Nov. 3.
Counties are required to offer a minimum early voting period between the 10th day and the third day before Election Day. This year, that minimum is Oct. 24 to 31. But that window could be stretched from as early as the 15th day in advance to as late as the second day beforehand, which would be Oct. 19 to Nov. 1.
The counties themselves decide how long they offer early voting.
Out of the state’s 67 counties, 17 go with the minimum mandate of Oct. 24–31: Baker, Columbia, Franklin, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Holmes, Lafayette, Liberty, Madison, Okeechobee, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, and Washington. Meanwhile, Hamilton County is keeping polls open through Nov. 1.
More than 30 counties start early voting on the earliest day they can. Hillsborough County is joined by its fellow Tampa Bay area neighbors, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Manatee.
Other counties starting on Oct. 19 include Alachua, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Escambia, Flagler, Gadsden, Hendry, Lake, Lee, Leon, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Seminole, St. Lucie, Volusia, and Walton.
But only 14 remain open through Nov. 1 for the entire permissible window: Alachua, Bradford, Broward, Gadsden, Hillsborough, Leon, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Sarasota, and Seminole.
Flagler County’s early voting ends on Oct. 30, and the rest close on Oct. 31.
Voters in the southern part of Hillsborough County are in a redefined congressional district that no longer includes both downtown Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg and now extends farther inland toward the county line. This new demographic will decide whether or not Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) will continue her 20-year hold on her seat or be replaced by Republican challenger Mike Beltran.
State and local elections are also on the ballot, and in Hillsborough County, Florida state Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman was seen at a polling station on opening day hoping to earn another four years in Tallahassee. Also appearing in person were Jackie Toledo, a former state representative now running for county commissioner, and Brittany Lyssy, a mother of three boys running for a spot on the Hillsborough County School Board.
The incumbent and other candidates who spoke with The Epoch Times said they were glad their constituents had all that time.
“It feels good,” Toledo told The Epoch Times. “It’s giving everyone an opportunity to go out and vote. There are no excuses to not come and vote.”
That sentiment was shared by Democratic voter and volunteer Kimberly Cummings.
“I’m thrilled,” she told The Epoch Times. “I’m very excited because the fact that there are undecided voters completely blows my mind. We need all the time we can get to meet these people and just tell them the truth.”
Elsewhere across the Sunshine State, Duval County and Indian River County started early voting on Oct. 20. Indian River’s window closes on Oct. 31, while Duval County keeps polls open through Nov. 1.
On Oct. 21, Martin County and St. Johns County start early voting, which will end for both on Oct. 31.
Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Dixie, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Jackson, Levy, Marion, and Nassau counties start on Oct. 22. All end on Oct. 31, except for Levy County, which ends on Nov. 1.
Clay County runs early voting from Oct. 23 to Oct. 31.
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