Florida Aug 18 Primary Reshapes Governor Race, Local Contests

Florida’s 2026 primary elections span multiple counties and offices, with numerous local contests alongside judicial races in St. Johns and Alachua counties, and a special Duval County Jacksonville City Council election filling Terrance Freeman’s seat. Alachua and Gainesville voters also weighed in on a mayoral race and city commission, while St. Johns voters faced county commission and St. Augustine city commission races plus a 7th Circuit judge race. Governor primaries feature incumbent DeSantis being term-limited, with Blaise Ingoglia and Wilton Simpson among Republicans and Democrats contesting these offices, alongside an attorney general race that is unopposed in this slate. The statewide ballot also includes four Northeast Florida U.S. House districts holding primaries, and national outlets plan to provide transparent results as election night unfolds. The new coverage emphasizes multi-county turnout, local governance issues, and the reliability of results from trusted outlets.