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Florida midterm election 2026: Results, major races and how to watch

Follow Florida’s governor and U.S. Senate races, the Orange County mayoral runoff and elections across Central Florida

Florida midterm election 2026: Results, major races and how to watch Channel 9 Check here for results.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to choose their next governor, decide a U.S. Senate special election and cast ballots in congressional, state and local races.

Channel 9 will follow the major contests across Florida and Central Florida, with election results, reporting from the campaigns and links to individual races.

Voters in Brevard County should check their assigned location before leaving home after extreme flooding forced several polling places to relocate.

Among the closely watched local contests is the Orange County mayoral runoff between Tiffany Moore Russell and Chris Messina, who advanced from the August election.

Florida and Central Florida election results

Early totals are preliminary and can change as additional ballots are counted. A candidate leading in the results has not necessarily won. Channel 9 will identify the source when reporting a projected winner. Results remain unofficial until certified.

Brevard polling places moved because of flooding

Several Brevard County precincts have temporary Election Day voting locations:

  • Precincts 307, 309, 512 and 525: New Shiloh Christian Center, 3900 Sarno Road, Melbourne.
  • Precincts 306, 323 and 509: Joseph N. Davis Community Center, 2547 Bruce D. Buggs St., Melbourne.
  • Precinct 517: Palm Bay City Hall Council Chambers, 120 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay.

Elections officials said additional changes are possible. Check VoteBrevard.gov for the latest information before traveling to vote.

Florida governor: Byron Donalds and David Jolly

Florida Governors Race David Jolly and Byron Donalds go head to head for the governors seat.

Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly are seeking to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cannot seek a third consecutive term.

Donalds is a congressman from Southwest Florida. Jolly is a former Republican congressman running as a Democrat.

Donalds won the Republican nomination in August. His running mate is Bryan Avila, while Jolly’s running mate is Gwen Graham.

The general-election field also includes third-party and no-party-affiliation candidates.

Channel 9’s Shannon Butler will cover Donalds’ campaign, while Sabrina Maggiore will cover Jolly’s campaign.

U.S. Senate: Ashley Moody and Angie Nixon

State Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Fla., candidate for Florida's U.S. Senate seat
State Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Fla., candidate for Florida's U.S. Senate seat State Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Fla., candidate for Florida's U.S. Senate seat (flhouse.gov)

Republican U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody and Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon are competing in Florida’s Senate special election. No-party-affiliation candidate Neil Gillespie is also running.

Moody was appointed to the seat after Marco Rubio left the Senate. The election will determine who serves the remainder of the term, which expires in January 2029.

Channel 9’s Demie Johnson will cover Nixon’s campaign, while Ethan Stein will cover Moody’s campaign.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., candidate for Florida's U.S. Senate seat
U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., candidate for Florida's U.S. Senate seat U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., candidate for Florida's U.S. Senate seat (senate.gov)

Orange County mayor: Tiffany Moore Russell and Chris Messina

Orange County Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell and businessman Chris Messina are competing in the runoff to succeed term-limited Mayor Jerry Demings.

The two advanced from an August field that also included former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy and Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe.

Channel 9’s Daralene Jones will cover Moore Russell’s campaign, while Dave Jordan will cover Messina’s campaign.

Florida attorney general

Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier faces Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez in the race for Florida’s chief legal office.

Congressional, state and local races

Voters will also decide U.S. House races, Florida legislative contests and county and municipal elections across Central Florida.

Reporting on local races and election outcomes will be linked here as it becomes available.

How to watch Channel 9’s election coverage

Follow election results and reporting on Channel 9 Eyewitness News and watch Channel 9’s live streams online.

Political analysts Dorcas E. McCoy and Vincent Edward Oluwole Adejumo will join Channel 9’s election-night coverage to discuss the results and their implications for Central Florida.

Return to this page throughout the evening for updated results and reporting, then check back Wednesday for reaction and what comes next.

When do polls close?

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

On Election Day, voters must use their assigned polling place. Find Election Day voting information through the Florida Division of Elections.

Because part of the Florida Panhandle is in the Central time zone, polls there close at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

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Brody Wooddell

Brody Wooddell, WFTV.com

Brody Wooddell is a digital journalist and media leader with more than a decade of experience in content strategy, audience growth, and digital storytelling across television and online news platforms.