By Tim Stapleton | FAAA Legislative and Grassroots Consultant

The 2026 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature adjourned on March 13, 2026. Since then, lawmakers have returned to Tallahassee for a series of special sessions to address unfinished business, including the state budget, congressional redistricting, and property tax reform.

State Budget Approved

From May 12 through May 29, 2026, the Legislature convened in special session and approved a $114.5 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27. The budget passed unanimously in the Senate (35-0) and by a vote of 99-6 in the House. The spending plan is currently awaiting action by Governor Ron DeSantis, who retains line-item veto authority before signing the budget into law.

Property Tax Special Session

On May 27, Governor DeSantis called an additional special session during the week of June 1 to consider a constitutional amendment providing property tax relief for Florida homeowners. The proposal, entitled “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes,” would immediately increase Florida’s homestead exemption and could ultimately be placed before voters for approval.

Candidate Qualifying Begins June 8

Following completion of the special sessions, attention will shift to the 2026 election cycle. The candidate qualifying period for state legislative offices will occur from noon on June 8 through noon on June 12, 2026.

To qualify for office, candidates must file the required financial disclosure forms, designate a campaign treasurer and depository, submit qualifying fees or petition signatures, and execute a candidate oath affirming their eligibility to hold the office sought.

The qualifying period is one of the most significant milestones of the election cycle because it establishes the final field of candidates and determines which incumbents will face opposition in either the primary or general election.

Under Florida law, if only one candidate qualifies for an office, that candidate is automatically elected and no election is required. As a result, the close of qualifying on June 12 will provide an early indication of which legislative races will be contested, and which incumbents have effectively secured another term.

Primary Election: August 18, 2026

Florida’s primary election will be held on August 18, 2026.

In many legislative districts, the primary election is often the decisive contest. Because numerous districts strongly favor one political party, the eventual winner of the dominant party’s primary is frequently favored to prevail in the general election. Consequently, the primary election will play a critical role in shaping the composition of the Florida Legislature.

General Election: November 3, 2026

The remaining competitive legislative contests will be decided during Florida’s General Election on November 3, 2026.

All 120 seats in the Florida House of Representatives will be on the ballot, along with the 20 even-numbered districts in the Florida Senate. Particular attention will be focused on open-seat races, which historically produce some of the most competitive elections because no incumbent is seeking re-election.

Open seats are created when legislators are term-limited, retire, or pursue another elected office. In several instances, House members are leaving their current districts to run for open Senate seats, creating additional vacancies and opportunities for new candidates.

As of June 1, 2026, there are 23 open House seats and 8 open Senate seats. These numbers may change following the conclusion of candidate qualifying on June 12.

Organizational Session and the 2027 Legislature

Following the general election, newly elected and returning legislators will convene in Tallahassee for the 2027 Organizational Session on November 17, 2026. During this constitutionally required session, members will be sworn into office, legislative leadership will be formally elected, and preparations will begin for the 2027 Regular Session.

Key Dates

June 8–12, 2026

Candidate Qualifying Period for Federal, State, Legislative, County, and Special District Offices

August 18, 2026

Primary Election

November 3, 2026

General Election

November 17, 2026 

Organizational Session of the Florida Legislature

December 2026 – February 2027

Interim Legislative Committee Meetings (dates to be announced)

March 2, 2027

Opening Day of the 2027 Regular Session

April 30, 2027

Scheduled Adjournment of the 2027 Regular Session