The story so far
written Oct 21What is happening
Florida voters will select a new governor without a televised debate between the major party nominees for the first time in more than 50 years 1. Democratic nominee David Jolly and Republican nominee Byron Donalds have both declined to participate in a head-to-head contest 1. The outcome of the November election determines the executive leadership of the third-most populous U.S. state following the primary readiness updates issued by Secretary of State Cord Byrd on August 17, 2026 7.
Jolly announced his refusal to debate on September 21, 2026, citing the tenor of the campaign and alleging bad faith by the opposition 2. Donalds, who carries the endorsement of Donald Trump, had previously accepted three debate proposals on the condition that no live audience be present 2. Both candidates instead appeared separately at the Sunshine Economy Summit to address state issues 1.
What to watch
The certification of the final vote tally by the state election board will establish the official winner of the gubernatorial race. A public ceremony where the winner is sworn in as governor will complete the transition of power.
The absence of a gubernatorial debate reflects a broader trend in the 2026 cycle, as no debates are currently scheduled for the U.S. Senate race, attorney general, or agriculture commissioner contests 2. The Florida Department of State continues to issue election communications through its press office as the general election approaches 6.
Read the full brief · how we got here
How we got here
The current field was set following the candidate qualifying period, which required nominees to meet specific ballot access and filing requirements 8. The Florida Department of State provided qualifying tips and memos to candidates earlier in the year to ensure compliance with state election laws 9.
Conflict over election oversight surfaced when Florida officials informed the U.S. Department of Justice that federal monitors are not permitted inside polling places 3. This follows the August 17, 2026, election readiness update intended to prepare the state for its primary and general election cycles 7.
References · 7
- 1wusf.org — Florida's gubernatorial candidates debate issues, not each other and ...
- 2news.wfsu.org — Florida could go without debates in any statewide race on the November ...
- 3flvoicenews.com — Florida tells DOJ their election monitors are not permitted inside ...
- 6dos.fl.gov — Press Releases - Florida Department of State
- 7einpresswire.com — Florida Department of State Press Releases
- 8michaelcarbonara.com — Florida primary election 2026: Candidate qualification and ballot ...
- 9files.floridados.gov — PDF Qualifying Tips Memo
What would close this
1 of 3 metTimeline
4newest firstEight candidates and two write-ins qualify for Florida gubernatorial ballot as race enters final ten days
The Florida general election ballot for the November 3, 2026, gubernatorial race is finalized with ten total contenders, including Democratic nominee David Jolly and Republican nominee Byron Donalds 1. MultiState consensus ratings currently categorize the open seat as "Lean R" as the state prepares for polls to close at 8 p.m. ET on election night 1.
- The gubernatorial ballot features Jolly (D), Donalds (R), and five independent candidates: Charles Burkett, Dean Ocean Abrams, Frank J. Russo, Jeffrey Peter "Dr. Jeff" Datto, and Moliere Moe Dimanche 1.
- Scott Eckhard Jewett is running as the Libertarian nominee, while Erik Morris and Kathy Anderson have filed as write-in candidates 1.
- In other statewide contests, Republican James Uthmeier is seeking re-election as Attorney General against Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez in a race rated "Likely R" 1.
Florida candidate list confirms two minor party and write-in qualifiers for gubernatorial race
Updated candidate records from the Florida Division of Elections confirm that two additional candidates have qualified for the November gubernatorial ballot alongside the major party nominees.
When we started following: Jolly declines debates with Donalds ahead of November Florida gubernatorial election
Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly announced he will not debate Republican nominee Byron Donalds, citing the opponent's "repeated lies and bad faith" 23. The decision, announced on a Sunday in September, follows a period where both campaigns accepted different invitations but failed to agree on a shared event 25. Donalds had previously accepted three debate invitations for dates including Sept. 29, Oct. 13, and Oct. 22, while Jolly had accepted proposals from the Tampa Bay Tiger Bay Club and CBS Miami 24.
This development marks the first time in over 50 years that Florida is expected to elect a governor without a candidate debate 1. The lack of debates extends to other statewide contests, as U.S. Senator Ashley Moody also declined to debate challenger state Rep. Angie Nixon 3. Separately, a coalition of voting-rights organizations filed a federal lawsuit on Sept. 3 challenging Florida’s new elections law, HB 991, alleging it imposes restrictions that conflict with federal law 6.
When we started following: Florida gubernatorial candidates Jolly and Donalds forgo debates ahead of November election
Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly and Republican nominee Byron Donalds have declined to debate, marking the first time in over 50 years Florida will elect a governor without such a contest 1. Jolly announced his refusal to participate on September 21, 2026, citing the "tenor of the current campaign environment" and alleging "bad faith" by his opponent 2. Donalds, who is endorsed by Donald Trump, had previously accepted three debate proposals with specific conditions, including the absence of a live audience 2.
Both candidates appeared separately at the Sunshine Economy Summit hosted by WLRN to discuss state issues 1. The lack of a gubernatorial debate coincides with a broader trend in Florida this cycle, as no debates are currently scheduled for the U.S. Senate race or other statewide offices including attorney general and agriculture commissioner 2. Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd issued an election readiness update on August 17, 2026, ahead of the state's primary contests 7.