On March 24, 2026, a special election will be held to fill the vacancy in State Senate District 14.
Residents of state Senate District 14, which includes all of WOW’s readership area, have been without representation since Jay Collins left the seat in August of 2025 to serve as lieutenant governor. Collins replaced Jeannette Nunez, after she left to become President of Florida International University.
On Oct. 24, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis called a special election, which will be held on March 24, 2026. The two candidates are:
- Democrat Brian Nathan: A Tampa resident, Navy veteran and leader within the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union.
- Republican Josie Tomkow: A cattle rancher who has served in the Florida House since 2018. Tomkow resigned her Polk County House seat to run for the Senate.
Because there are only two candidates from different parties, there will be no primary election.
Key Dates for the March 24 Special Election:
- Deadline to Request a Vote by Mail Ballot: 5 p.m. on March 12, 2026
- Early Voting: March 14 through 21, 2026
- Election Day: March 24, 2026
Looking ahead to elections coming up this fall, below are some key dates:
2026 Primary Election
- Deadline to Register or Change Parties: July 20, 2026
- Deadline to Request Vote by Mail: August 6, 2026
- Early Voting: August 3 through August 16, 2026
- Election Day: August 18, 2026
2026 General Election
- Deadline to Register: October 5, 2026
- Deadline to Request Vote by Mail: October 22, 2026
- Early Voting: October 19 through November 1, 2026
- Election Day: November 3, 2026
Resources:
To register to vote or check your voter registration, visit votehillsborough.gov/160/Voter-Information-Lookup. To request a vote-by-mail ballot, visit www.votehillsborough.org/VOTERS/Vote-By-Mail.