Florida voters cast their ballots on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, determining the candidates who will compete in November’s general elections. The statewide and local primaries have set up high-profile matchups for Governor, U.S. Senate, and key Orange County positions. Polls were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with voters directed to their assigned polling locations across Central Florida.
Gubernatorial Race Set: Donalds vs. Jolly
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has secured the Republican nomination for Governor, setting up a fall campaign against former Rep. David Jolly, who won the Democratic nod. The race is set to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis. Donalds stated his goal is to become Florida’s first Black governor. Jolly previously served as a Republican congressman before switching parties last year.
Orange County Local Races
In Orange County, Angie Gallo won the election for Chair of the Orange County School Board, defeating Alicia Farrant by a 59% to 41% margin. Gallo, an incumbent District 1 member endorsed by local Democrats and teachers’ unions, will lead one of the largest school districts in the country. Two new board members were also elected, while a third seat heads to a November runoff.
For Orange County Mayor Clerk of Court, Tiffany Moore Russell and tech entrepreneur Chris Messina earned spots in a November run-off after beating out former Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy. In another clerk race, Roberta Walton Johnson defeated Rick Singh for the Democratic nomination. Additionally, four Orange County Commission seats—Districts 2, 6, 7, and 8—are headed to runoff elections, El Comercio reported.
Statewide Upsets and Congressional Updates
In a significant upset in the U.S. Senate race, progressive candidate Angie Nixon defeated Alex Vindman with 55% of the vote. Nixon will face Republican incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody. In Florida’s 7th Congressional District, former Fox 35 anchor Ryan Elijah won the GOP nomination over incumbent Cory Mills and will face Democrat Bale Dalton in November.
State cabinet races also saw winners named: Blaise Ingoglia (R) for Chief Financial Officer, Annette Taddeo (D), Wilton Simpson (R) for Agriculture Commissioner, and Joey Mendoza Atkins (D). In State House District 47, Democrat Anthony Nieves was elected after incumbent Paula Stark failed to qualify due to paperwork issues.
