Florida Democratic Primary Election Guide 2026: Part 2
- Amanda Knapp, Ph.D.
- Aug 3
- 4 min read
Early Voting is officially underway for Florida’s 2026 Democratic Primary Election. Since we published Part 1 of our Democratic Primary Election Guide, additional candidates have met the fundraising threshold to be featured.
Part 2 introduces four additional candidates appearing on the Democratic Primary ballot: Dotie Joseph for Governor, Annette Taddeo for Chief Financial Officer, Don Prichard for Commissioner of Agriculture, and Ashley Gantt for Florida Senate District 34.
Early Voting in Miami-Dade County runs from August 3 through August 16, and voters may cast their ballots at any Miami-Dade County Early Voting location. There will be no voting on August 17. On Election Day, Tuesday, August 18, voters must vote at their assigned precinct.
The deadline to request a Vote-by-Mail ballot is August 6. If you have already received your ballot, complete and return it as soon as possible. Be sure to sign the back of the return envelope. If you decide to vote in person instead, you do not need to bring your Vote-by-Mail ballot with you.
Governor
Florida Democrats will select their nominee for Governor as they seek to reclaim the Governor's Mansion in 2026. The race features candidates with backgrounds in local government, public service, and political advocacy.
Dotie Joseph currently represents District 108 in the Florida House of Representatives. Born in Haiti and raised in North Miami, she is an attorney, former immigration law judge, and the first Haitian American woman elected to the Florida Legislature.
Joseph’s campaign for Governor focuses on lowering costs for Florida families, addressing the state’s property insurance and housing crises, strengthening public education, expanding access to healthcare, protecting individual rights, and increasing government accountability. Her campaign emphasizes drawing upon her legal and legislative experience to build a Florida government that places people before politics.
Chief Financial Officer
Florida’s Chief Financial Officer oversees the state’s finances, audits government spending, regulates insurance agents and agencies, investigates insurance fraud, and serves as a member of the Florida Cabinet. With Floridians facing escalating insurance premiums and affordability challenges, the office plays an important role in protecting consumers and holding state government and the insurance industry accountable.
Annette Taddeo is a small-business owner and former Florida State Senator. In 2017, she became the first Latina Democrat elected to the Florida Senate after winning a special election in a district previously carried by Donald Trump.
Taddeo built LanguageSpeak, a translation and language-services company, and has drawn on her experience as both a business owner and elected official throughout her public service. Her campaign for Chief Financial Officer focuses on addressing Florida’s property insurance crisis, protecting consumers, scrutinizing state spending, combating fraud and corruption, and establishing the CFO as an independent watchdog for Florida families.
Commissioner of Agriculture
The Florida Commissioner of Agriculture leads the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Although the office is closely associated with farming, its responsibilities also include consumer protection, food safety, environmental stewardship, licensing, and ensuring that businesses and commercial devices—such as gas pumps—operate fairly and accurately.
Don Prichard is a lifelong Floridian, farmer, combat veteran, and longtime law enforcement professional. He joined the Florida Army National Guard at age 17 and later began a career with the Broward Sheriff’s Office, where he served in several leadership positions. He also served as president of a police union representing more than 1,200 deputies and sergeants.
Prichard’s campaign priorities include supporting healthy and sustainable farming, strengthening food safety, protecting consumers from fraud and scams, and ensuring that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services operates independently from the Governor. He has also pledged to advocate for reducing Florida’s state gas tax and placing a moratorium on new data centers.
Florida Senate District 34
Florida Senate District 34 includes Miami Beach and several other communities across Miami-Dade County. The district’s next senator will help shape state policy on housing affordability, public education, transportation, environmental resilience, civil rights, healthcare, and Florida’s economy.
Ashley Gantt currently represents District 109 in the Florida House of Representatives. She is an attorney, former public defender, educator, and small-business owner. Before attending law school, Gantt served as a Teach For America corps member and taught in Miami-Dade County Public Schools for seven years.
Her campaign for the Florida Senate focuses on strengthening public education, expanding affordable housing, protecting Florida’s environment, reforming the criminal justice system, improving public transportation, and supporting small businesses and good-paying jobs. Gantt brings experience from the classroom, courtroom, community, and Florida Legislature to her campaign to represent Senate District 34.
Make Your Plan to Vote
The candidates elected in the Democratic Primary will represent our party in the November General Election. Take the time to learn about the candidates, review your sample ballot, and make a plan to vote.
Early Voting: August 3–16 at any Miami-Dade County Early Voting location
Vote-by-Mail Request Deadline: August 6
No Voting: August 17
Election Day: August 18, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., at your assigned precinct
Every election matters—and an informed voter is a powerful voter.
Disclaimer: This guide is intended as an informational resource for Democratic voters and does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate by the Miami Beach Democratic Club. The MBDC Board of Directors has chosen to feature only those candidates who have met a designated minimum fundraising threshold. As the primary election progresses and additional candidate information becomes available, an updated guide will be published.
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