Orange County, Florida

Orange County Court Judge Group 21

2 candidates are tracked for Orange County Court Judge Group 21 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Judi Garabo Hayes and Mark S. Miller. Candidate information follows official Orange County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Nonpartisan countywide judicial race whose outcome is already decided: incumbent Mark S. Miller withdrew on July 12, 2026 after accepting a federal immigration judgeship, too late to be removed from the printed ballot. The Supervisor of Elections' official Notice to the Voter states the race is now unopposed, a vote cast will not change the outcome, and Judi Garabo Hayes is deemed by law to be elected, per voteorangefl.gov.

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Mark S. Miller, is on the ballot.

Florida › Orange County › Orange County Court Judge Group 21

Judi Garabo Hayes

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Bringing fairness, respect, and impartiality to county court cases including evictions, collections, and misdemeanors
Being a knowledgeable, experienced, and compassionate judge
Impartiality and case management capability

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Orlando attorney with undergraduate and law degrees from Florida State University who has worked at several large law firms, per Winter Garden Vox; practice background includes insurance defense litigation, Greenberg Traurig's litigation department, county court work, and collections law, per the League of Women Voters of Orange County Bench Press recap. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.

Campaign finance

$75,510 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Mark S. Miller

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

Grounding decisions in the law and Constitution
Service-oriented approach

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Mark S. Miller is the sitting Orange County Court judge for Group 21, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2024; he WITHDREW from the 2026 race on July 12, 2026, the same day he began a new position as a federal immigration judge in Orlando, per Winter Garden Vox. Prior background includes military veteran, former teacher, assistant state attorney, and Morgan & Morgan attorney, per League of Women Voters of Orange County Bench Press recap.

Campaign finance

$56,842 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotOrange Soil and Water Conservation District 1

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Orange County Court Judge Group 21 in 2026?

When is the Orange County Court Judge Group 21 election in Florida?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Orange County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Orange County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Florida election office, or see the full Orange County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Orange County ballot

20 tracked races in Orange County, Florida. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Orange Soil and Water Conservation District 3 Orange Soil and Water Conservation District 5 Florida Senate District 10 See all 20 Orange County races

Candidate profiles

Judi Garabo Hayes, full profile Mark S. Miller, full profile Official Florida election office