Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jacob OglesJanuary 14, 2019

When all four of Florida’s statewide officials granted full pardons to the Groveland Four on Friday, many heralded a righting of injustice. But for the family of Norma Padgett Upshaw, the news felt like a decades-old crime had been condoned. Charlene Padgett, Upshaw’s daughter-in-law, told Florida Politics on Saturday “that case was decided before we […]

Jacob OglesNovember 27, 2018

A mid-winter conference of Florida’s elections supervisors usually serves as a social affair, maybe a discussion on changing ballot technology. But on the heels of a historic statewide recount, the upcoming event in Sarasota will likely entail more than just mingling. Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner agreed to host the Florida State Association of […]

Scott PowersNovember 15, 2018

Orange, Seminole, Lake, and Osceola counties’ anticipated hand recount of ballots for the Florida gubernatorial and Agriculture Commissioner races would only involve a few thousand ballots out of the nearly 1 million cast in those Central Florida counties. There were 478,122 ballots cast and machine recounted in Orange County for the Nov. 8 election but […]

Drew WilsonNovember 6, 2018

RTXA96W-voter-at-ballot-election-1024x640-1024x1024.jpg

Those who want to watch the ballots trickle in minute-to-minute on Election Day can do so with a little knowhow, but that real-time data is lacking numbers from more than a dozen counties, including some of the most reliably Democratic ones in the state. The thirteen counties lagging: DeSoto, Hamilton, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lake, Miami-Dade, Nassau, […]

Scott PowersOctober 25, 2018

Florida added 264,413 voters since the Aug. 28 primary with Democrats out-registering Republicans by nearly 18,000 during the period. Florida now has 13,278,070 voters registered to cast ballots in the Nov. 6 general election, according to the new book closing reports posted by the Florida Division of Elections, through last Thursday’s book-closing date for registering. […]

Scott PowersOctober 4, 2018

A statewide association representing the management company professionals who oversee homeowners associations has endorsed Republicans David Smith and Anthony Sabatini and Democrat Anna Eskamani in three Central Florida races for open Florida House seats. The endorsements come from the Chief Executive Officers of Management Companies, which represent 18,000 licensed professional community association managers who manage more […]

Joe HendersonAugust 29, 2018

Voters in several parts of Florida approved tax hikes for local school programs and teacher raises, which could be encouraging news to backers of a proposed half-cent sales tax increase in November for Hillsborough County public schools. By a 13-point margin, Lake County voters approved a property tax increase of .75 mills to help pay […]

Drew WilsonAugust 28, 2018

Three Republicans and two Democrats competed Tuesday for their party’s nomination to succeed former state Rep. Larry Metz, who gave up Lake County’s House District 32 in March to accept a judicial appointment from Gov. Rick Scott. HD 32 has a hefty Republican lean, and the GOP fielded Shannon Elswick, Anthony Sabatini, and Monica L. […]

Scott PowersAugust 20, 2018

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam were the top choices at Orlando’s Political Salsa hobnob for races for Senate and Florida Governor. With more than 400 votes, Nelson topped Republican Gov. Rick Scott 52 percent to 43 percent with Rocky De La Fuente taking the rest during the Hispanic-oriented but […]

Scott PowersAugust 13, 2018

Seminole, Osceola and Orange counties led the state in increasing presence for Democratic voters over the past two years, while Republicans were consolidating voters in most of the state’s rural and many medium-sized counties. According to the latest voter registration data released by the Florida Division of Elections, Democrats made their biggest gains in those three […]

Tag: Lake County
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 4/18/25-Candles and remembrances are left near the Unconquered statue a few hours after the Florida State University Gathering of Unity Vigil held Friday to honor victims of the recent mass shooting. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

Family of Norma Padgett stands by her accusation against Groveland Four

Elections conference likely to touch on reform

Hand recounts only would involve a few thousand ballots in Central Florida

Whodunit? Election Day numbers a mystery in blue strongholds

Voter registration up 264K since primary with Democrats registering most

Community management group endorses David Smith, Anthony Sabatini, Anna Eskamani

Voters around state say yes to local school tax increases

Anthony Sabatini, Cynthia Brown emerge from HD 32 primary election

Bill Nelson, Adam Putnam top Orlando’s Political Salsa

Democrats make big gains in Central Florida; Republicans sweeping rural county voters