Hillsborough County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
33 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 16 Hillsborough County races, led by the Hillsborough County Commissioner District 1 contest.
County offices
Commissioner District 1Harry Cohen (D) · Jackie Toledo (R)
Harry Cohen Democratic Incumbent
- Environmental protection
- Water management
- Transportation
Per the campaign site.
About Harry Cohen
Harry Cohen is a lawyer who served as chief deputy clerk of the Hillsborough Circuit Court and eight years on the Tampa City Council, and has been the District 1 commissioner since 2020, per his official county bio.
$104,841 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
Jackie Toledo Republican
- Roads and transportation
- Responsible growth
- Public safety and fiscal accountability
Per the campaign site.
About Jackie Toledo
Toledo is an engineer, small business owner and former Florida state representative, per the campaign site. She says her experience includes delivering solutions, managing budgets and bringing people together to get things done, per the campaign site.
$40,110 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
This race was not on the August 18 primary ballot: with one Democrat and one Republican there was no primary, and Harry Cohen and Jackie Toledo meet on the November 3 general ballot.
Full race pageCommissioner District 3Gwen Myers (D) · Luiz F. F. Garcia (R)
Gwen Myers Democratic Incumbent
- Public safety
- Housing
- Transportation, including light rail support and road widening
Per the Axios Tampa Bay's primary guide.
About Gwen Myers
Gwen Myers is the incumbent Hillsborough County Commissioner for District 3, first elected in November 2020, per the campaign site. She worked in Hillsborough County government for 25 years in housing and community development and health and social services, and holds a business administration degree from Florida A&M University, per the campaign site.
$130,060 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
Luiz F. F. Garcia Republican
- Transparency in county spending
- Modernize roads and reduce congestion
- Invest in law enforcement and first responders
Per the campaign site.
About Luiz F. F. Garcia
Garcia is a local business owner who runs a coffee shop and describes the campaign as not a career-politician bid, per the campaign site. Garcia is running for Hillsborough County Commission District 3, per the campaign site.
$8,160 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
August 18 primary result: incumbent Gwen Myers won the Democratic primary with 69.5 percent (14,723 votes) over Twanda Bradley, per unofficial results, and meets Republican Luiz Garcia on the November 3 ballot.
Full race pageCommissioner District 5Stacy Hahn (R) · Neil Manimala (D)
Stacy Hahn Republican
- Keep taxes low and cut wasteful spending
- Support law enforcement and first responders
- Responsible growth and better roads
Per the campaign site.
About Stacy Hahn
Stacy Hahn holds a PhD in early childhood special education, has worked as a university professor and public school teacher, leads the nonprofit Literacy Is Key, and has served on the Hillsborough School Board since 2018, per her campaign site and the Tampa Bay Beacon.
$94,550 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
Neil Manimala Democratic
- Fix the traffic with modern transit and infrastructure
- Stop the flooding through resiliency investment
- Affordability and healthcare access
Per the campaign site.
About Neil Manimala
Neil Manimala is a board-certified urologist practicing in Brandon, Plant City, and Sun City Center, president of the Hillsborough County Medical Association, and a graduate of county public schools and the USF College of Medicine, per his campaign site.
$165,610 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
August 18 primary result: Stacy Hahn defeated incumbent Donna Cameron Cepeda in the Republican primary, 54.9 to 45.1 percent, per the Tampa Bay Times, and meets Democrat Neil Manimala on the November 3 ballot. Results are unofficial until the county canvass.
Full race pageCommissioner District 7 (Countywide)Aileen Rodriguez (D) · Joshua Wostal (R)
Aileen Rodriguez Democratic
- Lower the cost of living on housing and transportation
- Reinvest tax dollars in neighborhoods hit by development
- Hold developers accountable
Per the campaign site.
About Aileen Rodriguez
Aileen Rodriguez is a public affairs executive with over 20 years of experience, principal of AR Public Affairs & Strategic Solutions, and a former U.S. Senate staffer, per her campaign site and Florida Politics coverage.
$63,840 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
Joshua Wostal Republican Incumbent
- End wasteful spending
- Stop tax hikes
- Fix crumbling infrastructure
Per the campaign site.
About Joshua Wostal
Joshua Wostal owns a shipping and printing business near Raymond James Stadium and served 10 years in the Navy; he is the incumbent countywide District 7 commissioner, elected in 2022, per his campaign site and the Tampa Bay Beacon.
$166,518 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
August 18 primary result: Aileen Rodriguez won the Democratic primary with 62.4 percent (52,259 votes) over Cindy Stuart, per unofficial results, and meets Republican Joshua Wostal on the November 3 countywide ballot.
Full race pageSchool board
School Board District 2Nonpartisan race · Brittany Lyssy · Daniela Simic
Brittany Lyssy and Daniela Simic are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Hillsborough County School Board District 2.
Brittany Lyssy Nonpartisan
- Parents, not politics, guiding children's education
- Academic focus on reading, math, science, and civics
- Safe schools with fiscal discipline
Per the campaign site.
About Brittany Lyssy
Brittany Lyssy is an attorney and education policy advocate with degrees from the University of Florida and Stetson Law, currently pursuing a PhD in education-focused public policy, per her campaign site.
$64,825 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
Daniela Simic Nonpartisan
- Educational equity regardless of zip code or circumstance
- Making taxpayer dollars work for students
- Reducing excessive student testing
Per the campaign site.
About Daniela Simic
Simic spent more than 20 years in education, starting as a classroom teacher before becoming assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Hillsborough County Public Schools, where she managed 233 schools and supported more than 12,000 educators, per the campaign site. She has also worked at the Florida Department of Education and in district leadership roles in Florida and Texas, and currently serves as vice president of advocacy for the Hillsborough County Council PTA, per the campaign site. She holds a master's degree in educational policy and leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, per the campaign site.
$33,622 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
August 18 result: no candidate won a majority, so Daniela Simic (about 39 percent) and Brittany Lyssy (about 37 percent) advance to a November 3 runoff, per unofficial results.
Full race pageSchool Board District 6Nonpartisan race · Kenneth "Ken" Gay · Karen Perez · Sally Harris "Ms Sally" Williamson
Kenneth "Ken" Gay, Karen Perez and Sally Harris "Ms Sally" Williamson are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Hillsborough County School Board District 6.
Kenneth "Ken" Gay Nonpartisan
- Strong student outcomes for every student
- Supported and respected educators
- Safe and orderly schools
Per the campaign site.
About Kenneth "Ken" Gay
Kenneth Gay is a retired educator with 39 years in Hillsborough public schools as a teacher, instructional leader, and assistant principal, holding a doctorate in child and youth studies, per his campaign site.
$30,953 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
Karen Perez Nonpartisan Incumbent
- Holding administration accountable and directing resources to classrooms
- Reducing administrative overhead and waste
- Protecting teacher and support staff positions during budget cuts
Per the campaign site.
About Karen Perez
Karen Perez is a licensed clinical social worker and certified traumatologist who runs a private wellness practice, and the incumbent countywide District 6 board member, first elected in 2018, per her campaign site.
$40,382 raised, per Supervisor of Elections filings.
Sally Harris "Ms Sally" Williamson Nonpartisan
- More vocational programs in high schools
- Expand hands-on, experiential learning models
- Raise teacher salaries and expand health insurance discounts
Per the WUSF questionnaire/interview.
About Sally Harris "Ms Sally" Williamson
Career counselor and founder of Circle C Ranch Academy, a Tampa preschool established in 1985, per her campaign site. She served on the Hillsborough County School Board from 2014 to 2018 and as board chair from 2018 to 2019, a tenure during which graduation rates rose 15 percent to 83 percent, per WUSF. Sally Harris "Ms Sally" Williamson appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Hillsborough County School Board District 6, per the Supervisor of Elections' official qualified-candidate list.
August 18 result: incumbent board chair Karen Perez finished just over 48 percent, short of a majority, and faces Kenneth Gay in a November 3 runoff, per the Tampa Bay Times.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Hillsborough County is split across 10 Florida Senate and House districts.
Find your districts by addressFlorida Senate: 2 districtsDistricts 14, 20
Florida Senate District 14Brian Nathan (D) · Josie Tomkow (R)
Brian Nathan Democratic Incumbent
- Released a Working Families Agenda focused on lowering housing costs and holding insurance and utility companies accountable
- Support fully funding schools and expanding access to affordable health care
Per the campaign site.
About Brian Nathan
Brian Nathan is the Democratic candidate for Florida Senate District 14, per his campaign site. A U.S. Navy veteran, he later worked as an electrician, apprentice and foreman with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, per his campaign site. Nathan graduated cum laude from the University of Tampa with a double major in Philosophy and Sociology, per his campaign site.
Josie Tomkow Republican
Josie Tomkow, of a Polk County cattle-ranching family, served in the Florida House from 2018 to 2026, according to Florida Voice News. She resigned to run in a March 2026 special election for Senate District 14, and after that race she is the Republican candidate in the November general election with the backing of Senate Republican leadership. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
Brian Nathan (Democratic), Josie Tomkow (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida Senate District 14; Brian Nathan is the sitting member, per the Florida Senate' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida Senate District 20Gerald Baldi (D) · Jim Boyd (R)
Gerald Baldi Democratic
- Protecting clean water and Florida's natural heritage
- Lowering energy costs and increasing energy independence
- Increasing government transparency and accountability
Per the campaign site.
About Gerald Baldi
Gerald Baldi's career has spanned advertising, real estate, financial services and banking, according to his campaign site. He has been an organizer of community rallies with Indivisible Manatee, per The Bradenton Times.
Jim Boyd Republican Incumbent
- tax relief for families and small businesses
- insurance cost reform
- affordable housing, including the Live Local Act
Per the campaign site.
About Jim Boyd
Jim Boyd represents Florida Senate District 20, covering parts of Manatee and Hillsborough counties, and serves as Republican Majority Leader in the Florida Senate, per his campaign site. He sits on the Banking and Insurance, Fiscal Policy, Regulated Industries, and Rules committees, per his campaign site.
Gerald Baldi (Democratic), Jim Boyd (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida Senate District 20; Jim Boyd is the sitting member, per the Florida Senate' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida House: 8 districtsDistricts 61, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70
Florida House District 61Linda Chaney (R) · May Thach (D)
Linda Chaney Republican Incumbent
Linda Chaney's occupation is listed as marketing and business development, and she holds a University of South Florida degree in mass communications, according to the Florida House's official biography page, which also notes she previously served as a St. Pete Beach City Commissioner from 2007 to 2009. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
May Thach Democratic
- Support higher wages and stronger tenant protections
- Support expanding Medicaid and improving transparency in health care access
- Support higher salaries for teachers and education professionals
Per the campaign site.
About May Thach
May Thach is the Democratic candidate for Florida House District 61, per her campaign site. Her family immigrated to the United States in 1999 and settled in St. Petersburg, per her campaign site. Thach attended the University of South Florida on the Doorways Scholarship and later served four years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia, per her campaign site.
Linda Chaney (Republican), May Thach (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 61; Linda Chaney is the sitting member, per the Florida House of Representatives' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida House District 64Luis Salazar (D) · Dan Weldon (R)
Luis Salazar Democratic
- Property and auto insurance affordability
Per Florida Politics.
About Luis Salazar
Luis Salazar is a candidate for Florida House District 64, per his campaign site. He is a Tampa-based community advocate and political organizer, and a first-generation college graduate who is bilingual in English and Spanish, per his campaign site. Salazar has worked on campaigns coordinating grassroots outreach and voter participation initiatives, per his campaign site.
Dan Weldon Republican
Dan Weldon is a Republican candidate for Florida House District 64 in Hillsborough County. He is running for the open seat left by term-limited Rep. Susan Valdes, after switching from an earlier U.S. House campaign to the HD 64 race in June 2026, according to Florida Politics. He comes from a family of physicians and was endorsed by the Florida Medical Association PAC. No campaign website was found as of September 2026.
Luis Salazar (Democratic), Dan Weldon (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 64. Not on the November ballot: Susan L. Valdés, the sitting member per the roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida House District 65Ben Braver (D) · Karen Gonzalez Pittman (R)
Ben Braver Democratic
Ben Braver is the Democratic candidate for Florida House District 65 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. Braver is a middle school teacher in Hillsborough County and a member of the teachers' union, per campaign site. He faces Republican incumbent Karen Gonzalez Pittman in the November general election, per campaign materials.
Karen Gonzalez Pittman Republican Incumbent
Karen Gonzalez Pittman's occupation is listed as business owner and educator, according to the Florida House's official member page, which also notes she holds University of South Florida degrees in elementary education and in measurement, evaluation and testing. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
Ben Braver (Democratic), Karen Gonzalez Pittman (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 65; Karen Gonzalez Pittman is the sitting member, per the Florida House of Representatives' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida House District 66Traci Koster (R) · Jose A. "Dante" Sanchez Sanchez (D)
Traci Koster Republican Incumbent
Traci Koster works as a marital and family law attorney and holds a University of Central Florida degree in legal studies and a law degree from Stetson University, according to the Florida House's official member page, which also notes she co-founded Tampa Bay Pro Bono Partners and led the Hillsborough County Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division from 2019 to 2020. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
Jose A. "Dante" Sanchez Sanchez Democratic
- Stronger schools
- Safer neighborhoods
- Economic opportunity for families
Per the campaign site.
About Jose A. "Dante" Sanchez Sanchez
Jose "Dante" Sanchez Sanchez is a Democratic candidate for the Florida House in Hillsborough County. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served as a reservist with the 927th Security Forces Squadron from 2016 to 2026, including a deployment supporting operations in the Middle East, according to Florida Politics. He immigrated from the Dominican Republic in 2005, became Hillsborough County's first Hispanic electrical inspector in 2014, and founded an electrical contracting firm serving water and wastewater utilities.
Traci Koster (Republican), Jose A. "Dante" Sanchez Sanchez (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 66; Traci Koster is the sitting member, per the Florida House of Representatives' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida House District 67Lisette Bonano (R) · Luis Viera (D)
Lisette Bonano Republican
- Affordability, responsible development, roads, jobs and fiscal accountability
- Parental rights and school quality
- Government transparency
Per the campaign site.
About Lisette Bonano
Bonano served 28 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel with roles in human resources, civil affairs, psychological operations and inspector general work, including deployments to Iraq and a role training the Afghan National Army in Afghanistan, per the campaign site. She also served as a Joint Staff plans and policy officer at the Pentagon focused on human rights advocacy in the Western Hemisphere, per the campaign site. She holds degrees in special education, international relations and educational leadership, per the campaign site.
Luis Viera Democratic
- Affordability, public safety and infrastructure for Hillsborough County families
- Disability rights and veterans issues
Per the Bay News 9.
About Luis Viera
Luis Viera is a candidate for Florida House District 67, per his campaign site. He is a lifelong resident of Tampa who has served on the Tampa City Council for the past eight years, representing North and New Tampa, per his campaign site. Viera secured funding for three new fire stations and led the push for an apprenticeship ordinance for young people while on the council, per his campaign site.
Lisette Bonano (Republican), Luis Viera (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 67. Not on the November ballot: Fentrice Driskell, the sitting member per the roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida House District 68Ryan Gill (R) · Tony Smith (D)
Ryan Gill Republican
Ryan Gill is a Republican candidate for Florida House District 68, which covers part of northeastern Hillsborough County including Plant City. He is a cattle rancher whose family has worked the same land for more than 120 years, according to Florida Politics. He previously served on the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District board and is running to succeed Rep. Lawrence McClure. No campaign website with policy detail was found as of September 2026.
Tony Smith Democratic
Tony Smith is the Democratic candidate for Florida House District 68 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, according to the Florida Division of Elections certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
Ryan Gill (Republican), Tony Smith (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 68. Not on the November ballot: Lawrence McClure, the sitting member per the roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida House District 69Daniel "Danny" Alvarez (R) · Ashley Elizabeth Herrmann (D)
Daniel "Danny" Alvarez Republican Incumbent
Daniel "Danny" Alvarez is the Republican candidate for Florida House District 69 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. Daniel "Danny" Alvarez is a sitting member for the district, per the Florida House of Representatives' official roster. Danny Alvarez is a lawyer and Army veteran with degrees from the University of Florida, Troy State University, Stetson University College of Law and the University of Miami School of Law, according to the Florida House's official member page. U.S. Senator Rick Scott endorsed his 2026 reelection campaign for House District 69, per The Floridian. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
Ashley Elizabeth Herrmann Democratic
- Lowering the cost of groceries, gas and electricity for families
- Expanding access to affordable housing
- Supporting workers' rights
Per the campaign site.
About Ashley Elizabeth Herrmann
Ashley Elizabeth Herrmann is a community organizer who has worked with the Florida Department of Transportation and in local schools and neighborhoods, per her campaign site. A first-generation college student and mother of two, she is a lifelong Florida resident.
Daniel "Danny" Alvarez (Republican), Ashley Elizabeth Herrmann (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 69; Daniel "Danny" Alvarez is the sitting member, per the Florida House of Representatives' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageFlorida House District 70Michael Owen (R) · Luther Keith Wilkins (D)
Michael Owen Republican Incumbent
- Keep taxes low and oppose fee increases
- Invest in roads and infrastructure to address traffic congestion in the county
- Require a more stringent approval process for development to manage growth
Per the campaign site.
About Michael Owen
Michael Owen is a small business owner who has lived in Hillsborough County for more than 40 years and attended Bloomingdale High School, according to his campaign site. He previously served as the Hillsborough County Commissioner for District 4, per Florida Politics.
Luther Keith Wilkins Democratic
- Increasing teacher pay and modernizing school buildings
- Expanding workforce housing supply with responsibly planned growth
- Improving veterans' access to VA healthcare, mental health services and jobs
Per the campaign site.
About Luther Keith Wilkins
Luther Keith Wilkins served 12 years in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, including work safeguarding nuclear assets, per his campaign site. He has a background in business, real estate, marketing and insurance, and is challenging incumbent Rep. Michael Owen for a second time, per WMNF.
Michael Owen (Republican), Luther Keith Wilkins (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 70; Michael Owen is the sitting member, per the Florida House of Representatives' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
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Who is on the ballot in Hillsborough County, Florida on November 3, 2026?
Hillsborough County sample ballot 2026: see where the school board, commissioner and florida senate candidates stand on roads, the budget and housing. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Florida?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are listed on the Florida election hub. Florida election hub →
How do I see my exact Hillsborough County ballot?
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Sample ballot by ZIP code in Hillsborough County55 ZIP codes
Candidate roster last updated Sep 29, 2026 from official election sources.