Every election is a big deal, and this year is no different. That starts with the smallest cities and works its way up to the national level, where Republicans and Democrats will fight over control of Congress even as one-third of voters have opted out of either major party. In the runup to the 2026 elections, Americans have seen some of the oldest tricks in the book, including gerrymandering designed to give one party overwhelming control of a state’s voters and blatant attempts to exclude some groups of legitimate voters from the polls. They’ve also seen newfangled means of targeting and sometimes deceiving voters, including the use of AI to make citizens doubt the evidence of their own eyes.
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But Floridians shouldn’t let their faith in democracy falter under the weight of that cynicism. Most of all, voters have the opportunity to make momentous decisions for themselves and their communities. In this year’s primaries, Central Florida voters have already made significant choices about who should lead local school boards and county governments. They have given the boot to one congressional incumbent who just two years ago appeared to be thoroughly entrenched. They have set the stage for major decisions about Florida’s future, including whether they want to jettison the rigid pattern of control set by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
A state in play
Term limits have taken the autocratic governor off the ballot, but a key legislative ally (former state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia) and DeSantis’ former chief aide (James Uthmeier) are both running for powerful statewide offices. In the former, Florida would be electing a chief financial officer who has willfully turned a blind eye to rampant fiscal shenanigans by the governor’s office. In the latter, voters would be choosing an attorney general who has shamelessly trampled legal boundaries as if he were the sole arbiter of the law in Florida.
These are not partisan foibles. The vast majority of elected Republicans (and Democrats) across Florida are honorable people who take their oath to honor the state constitution and statutes seriously. They deserve better representation.
The other two statewide races on the ballot are more traditional matchups, including the race to replace DeSantis and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson’s bid for re-election. But that doesn’t mean that voters should evaluate them purely on ideological grounds. Voters should ask themselves who will be the most open, accountable and effective.
Local decisions first
But the most important face-off on the ballot might not be between two candidates. It’s between “yes” and “no” on a proposed constitutional amendment that looks like an innocuous tax cut. But many believe it would deal a devastating blow to home rule in Florida, transferring budgeting authority to faraway Tallahassee bureaucrats.
The debate over Amendment 3 will be cast by many as a partisan dispute. But take another look: Across the state, some of Florida’s most conservative politicians and organizations are coming out to oppose the hastily drafted measure, which was originally so deceptive that courts threatened to strike it from the ballot.
Beyond those marquee races, there will be dozens of other contests at the county and city level, giving local voters a voice in how they want their communities to grow and what services and needs they prioritize.
Here to help
It might all seem overwhelming. But voters don’t have to go it alone.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be working with the Central Florida News Collaborative to provide comprehensive coverage of the races up and down the ballot. In addition, our editorial board will be conducting interviews and making endorsements in as many races as we can — including legislative and local races.
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A word about our endorsement philosophy: We do not rely on party as the determining factor in any endorsement. Instead, we look for the candidates who will do the best job for the district they’re vying to represent. Ideology is significant, of course, but experience and character also play a large role. When considering incumbents, we’ll ask whether their challenger has made the case that they should be replaced.
But the overall goal is to give our readers as much objective, useful information as we can about each candidate. That’s why we invite many of them to video interviews with the editorial board — it provides the opportunity for them to speak directly to voters about what they would do if elected.
Raise your voice
Our final promise is this: We are willing — in fact, we are eager — to share views from our readers, including those who disagree with our endorsement decisions (along with those who agree, of course). But we can’t run opinions from readers who don’t speak up. So we urge people to send in their assessments of the candidates and races that matter most to them.
There are just a few guidelines: Most commentary should be in the form of a letter to the editor, which has a 250-word limit. We cannot publish unsubstantiated allegations against any particular candidate; if you feel you have information about a race that should be considered, it’s better to contact our newsroom. Letters that are purely personal attacks will be considered low priority.
Overall, the most convincing letters stick to the issues that divide one candidate from another, and share the readers’ viewpoints on why they feel someone would (or would not) do a good job if elected.
The bottom line is this: Choosing the candidates who earn your vote can be a daunting task. The Sentinel’s role is to give you as much information as we can, while providing you with the context to support the candidates that we endorse. Now, as always, our focus is on giving you the background to confidently participate in the fundamental activities of democracy — including raising your own voice, right here on our pages.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Use [email protected] to contact us.
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