Politics never sleeps: The local elections in Florida still remaining in 2023

Florida already has had quite a few pivotal local elections this year. 

Jacksonville Mayor-elect Donna Deegan pulled off an upset against entrenched political and business powers and maverick Tampa Councilmember Lynn Hurtak held on to her seat.

But there’s more to come across Florida in 2023.

Over 40 municipalities still have local elections this year, including races in Orlando and Miami, two of the state’s largest cities by population. 

In total, eight of Florida’s top 50 cities by population have elections remaining this year. Here’s a look at the races in those cities, as well as a list of all the elections left in Florida this year:

Ocala

Voters in one of Florida’s fastest-growing cities can vote in Ocala’s municipal election on Sept. 19, but there is only a choice in one of the races.

Current Ocala District 2 Councilmember Ire Bethea is being challenged by local teacher Reginald Landers, who unsuccessfully challenged him once before.

Ocala residents can expect to see someone new in the mayor’s office. Currently, local gym owner Benjamin Marciano is the only person running for the office.

Mayor

Benjamin Marciano

City Council District 2

Ire Bethea (incumbent)

Reginald Landers

City Council District 4

Kristen Dreyer (incumbent)

Orlando

The most interesting race in Florida’s fourth largest city has to be for the mayor’s office. 

Incumbent Buddy Dyer, Orlando’s longest serving mayor who first took office in 2003, is facing five challengers in the Nov. 7 municipal election.

Those challengers include former city council member, and opponent from last time around, Samuel Ings. The rest of the field consists of community activists and political newcomers who have struggled to fundraise.

Dyer should feel pretty confident about his chances of reelection. When he faced off against Ings in 2019, he won with almost 72% support. 

Mayor

Buddy Dyer (incumbent)

Samuel Ings

Gertrude Pierre

Moliere Dimanche

Safraaz Alli

Ky Velez

City Commission District 2

Antonio Ortiz (incumbent)

City Commission District 4

Katie Koch

Patty Sheehan (incumbent)

City Commission District 6

Bakari Burns (incumbent)

Homestead

The race to watch in one of Florida’s southernmost cities (that’s not in the Keys) is the Homestead City Council Seat 6 race.

The candidate in the race with the most political juice is Clemente Canabal, husband of Florida state Sen. and Miami-Dade legislative delegation chair Ana Maria Rodriguez. He’s facing off against veteran Toshiba Mitchell and former Homestead Women’s Club president Brandy Ramirez.

The race will get some clarity in the Oct. 3 primary and Nov. 7 general elections.

Mayor

Steve Losner (incumbent)

Julio Guzman

City Council Seat 2

Sean L. Fletcher (incumbent)

City Council Seat 3

Lawrence Roth

William Bobby Rea

City Council Seat 6

Brandy Ramirez

Clemente Canabal

Toshiba Mitchell

Miami

Candidates are lining up to challenge one of the city commission’s shortest tenured members on Nov. 7.

District 2 Commissioner Sabina Covo, who won a special election in February for the seat with 30% support, has five challengers. Only a few, however, seem to pose a real threat. They happen to be the same ones she beat earlier this year. 

James Torres, president of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance community organization, received major endorsements, including one from the Miami Herald, the first time around. He also is the only challenger that has amassed any meaningful campaign funds. 

Eddy Leal, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s former general counsel, also is in the race after finishing second in February.

Commission District 1

Alex Diaz de la Portilla (incumbent)

Miguel Angel Gabela

Commission District 2

Gabriela Ariana Chirinos

Sabina Covo (incumbent)

Eddy V. Leal

Damian John Pardo

Christi Reeves Tasker

James Torres

Commission District 4

Manuel (Manolo) E. Reyes (incumbent)

Miami Beach

All eyes will be on the winner of the race to replace ousted and disgraced former Mayor Anthony DeFillipo. Several established names are giving it a shot.

The two bigshots in the race are current Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Christian Góngora and former state Rep. Michael Grieco. Both of them have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the contest, making it the most expensive race on this list.

Other candidates are looking to make a splash, though. 

Bill Roedy, former CEO of MTV Networks International and a political newcomer, spent $55,000 of his own money on an ad during the NBA finals about his candidacy. 

Mayor

Michael Christian Góngora

Michael C. Grieco

Steven Jay Meiner

William Harvey Roedy, Jr.

Commission Group 4

Andres Asion

Commission Group 5

David Victor Suarez

Commission Group 6

Tanya Katzoff Bhatt

Joseph Magazine

Marcella Novela

Other local elections

July 11: Horseshoe Beach in Dixie County; Municipal election   

Aug. 15: Altha in Calhoun County; Municipal election

Aug. 22: Punta Gorda in Charlotte County; Primary election

Clermont in Lake County; Special Primary election

Groveland in Lake County;  Special Primary election

Ponce Inlet in Volusia County; Municipal election

Lake Helen in Volusia County; Municipal election

Monticello in Jefferson County; Primary election

Blountstown in Calhoun County; Municipal election

Sept. 5: Westville in Holmes County; Municipal election

Sept. 12: Glen St. Mary in Baker County; Primary election

Macclenny in Baker County; Primary election

Sept. 19: Ocala in Marion County; Municipal election

Sept. 26: Glen St. Mary In Baker County; General election

Macclenny in Baker County; General election

Oct. 3: Ponce De Leon in Holmes County; Municipal election

Homestead in Miami-Dade County; Primary election

Nov. 5: Apalachicola in Franklin County; Municipal election

Nov. 7: High Springs in Alachua County; Municipal election

Punta Gorda in Charlotte County; General election

Monticello in Jefferson County; General election

Clermont in Lake County; Municipal election

Groveland in Lake County; Municipal election

Lady Lake in Lake County; Municipal election

Mascotte in Lake County; Municipal election

Minneola in Lake County; Municipal election

Montverde in Lake County; Municipal election

Tavares in Lake County; Municipal election

Astatula in Lake County; Municipal election

Anna Maria in Manatee County; Municipal election

Bradenton Beach in Manatee County; Municipal election

Holmes Beach in Manatee County; Municipal election

Hialeah in Miami-Dade County; Primary election

Homestead in Miami-Dade County; General election

Miami in Miami-Dade County; General election

Miami Beach in Miami Dade County; General election

Layton in Monroe County; Municipal election

Orlando in Orange County; General Election

Seminole in Pinellas County; General election

Auburndale in Polk County; Municipal election

Fort Meade in Polk County; Municipal election

Lakeland in Polk County; Municipal election

Winter Haven in Polk County; Municipal election

Interlachen in Putnam County; Municipal election

Venice in Sarasota County; General election

Ponce Inlet in Volusia County; Municipal election

Lake Helen in Volusia County; Municipal election

Nov. 21: Hialeah in Miami-Dade County; General election

Nov. 28: City of Everglades in Collier County; Municipal election

Dec. 4: Esto in Holmes County; Municipal election

Dec. 5: Waldo in Alachua County; Municipal election