2026 in Florida
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The following is a list of events of the year 2026 in Florida.
This year marks Florida's 181th anniversary as a state in the Union on March 3, 1845, and marks 205 years since Spain ceded Florida to the United States on February 22, 1821. This year also marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States from the British Empire on July 4, 1776.
This year will see a new governor be elected on November 3rd as Ron DeSantis is term-limited.
Incumbents
State Government
- Executive Branch
- Legislative Branch
- Judicial Branch
Chairs of Major Political Parties
Events
January
- January 7 – Governor DeSantis calls for a special legislative session on congressional redistricting, ahead of the 2026 United States midterm elections.[1]
- January 9 – Governor DeSantis signs a death warrant for Ronald Palmer Heath, a man convicted for murder of a traveling salesman during a Gainesville robbery in 1990. Heath is later executed on February 10, 2026, via lethal injection at Florida State Prison, Florida's first execution of the year.[2][3]
- January 12 – Lieutenant Governor Collins declares his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2026 Florida gubernatorial election.[4]
- January 13
- The 2026 regular session of the Florida Legislature begins.[5] Governor DeSantis delivers his final State of the State Address, reflecting on his governorship.[6]
- Neal Dunn, a Republican, announces that he will not seek re-election as U.S. House Representative from Florida's 2nd congressional district.[7]
- January 14 – Governor DeSantis appoints Adam Tanenbaum, a judge from the Florida First District Court of Appeal, as the 94th Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida, succeeding Charles Canady.[8]
- January 15
- The Supreme Court of Florida amends eligibility rules for Florida Bar admission to remove the American Bar Association as the sole law school accreditor. Jorge Labarga dissents.[9]
- University of Miami hires former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a guest lecturer in political science.[10]
- January 16 – A 4-mile stretch of Southern Boulevard between Palm Beach International Airport and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach County is renamed President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.[11]
- January 18 – DeSantis political aide Christina Pushaw and Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback engage in a public feud on Twitter.[12]
- January 19
- The 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship is played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida between the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes. The Hoosiers beat the Hurricanes 27–21 to claim Indiana's first ever title.[13]
- Attorney General Uthmeier issues an opinion that race-based laws, including affirmative action, are presumptively unconstitutional and his office will not enforce them.[14]
- January 23
- Governor DeSantis signs a death warrant for Melvin Trotter, a man convicted for murder of a Manatee County grocery-store owner in 1986.[15]
- Governor DeSantis and German Ambassador Jens Hanefeld sign a Joint Declaration of Intent between the State of Florida and the Federal Republic of Germany. As of 2024, Germany is Florida’s seventh largest trading partner.[16]
- Lawyer Keith Gross files a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing Florida GOP Chair Power of misusing the resources of the Florida Republican Party in his congressional campaign to succeed Neal Dunn.[17]
- January 25 – Florida Senate President Albritton is hospitalized for chest pains, where physicians discovered a small blood clot in his lung. Albritton is discharged from the hospital three days later and intends to finish the regular legislative session.[18]
- January 27
- Vern Buchanan, a Republican, announces that he will not seek re-election as U.S. House Representative from Florida's 16th congressional district.[19]
- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation files a complaint at the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings over the Florida Department of Health changing the eligibility requirements for the state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program in an effort to cut $120 million in state expenses.[20]
- January 28
- The Florida Second District Court of Appeals disqualifies Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco from conducting a sentencing hearing for the only defendant so far convicted in the ambush killing of Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio.[21]
- A Boca Raton nurse's nursing license is suspended as a result of a TikTok video wishing harm on White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.[22]
- January 29
- Governor DeSantis signs a death warrant for Billy Leon Kearse, a man convicted of killing a Fort Pierce police officer during a traffic stop in 1991.[23]
- A Miami nurse relinquishes his nursing license following Facebook posts saying he would refuse anesthesia to MAGA patients.[24]
February
- February 1 – The Florida Department of State announces that all 22 citizen initiatives for constitutional amendments have been disqualified for the 2026 Florida general election ballot, following the implementation of HB 1205 (signed May 2, 2025) which imposes stricter requirements for the citizen-led ballot initiative process.[25]
- February 2 – Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback makes a Tinder account to connect with young female voters. Two days later, Fishback's account was banned for advertising and campaigning in violation of Tinder's terms and services.[26]
- February 3 – Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas warns that students who participate in protests during the school day, particularly in protests against ICE, could face discipline.[27]
- February 4 – Ryan Wesley Routh, the man who attempted to assassinate President Trump while he was golfing at his club in West Palm Beach in 2024, is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.[28]
- February 6 – The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles begins administering all driver's license knowledge and skills exams in English only.[29]
- February 9
- Governor DeSantis declares a state of emergency due to severe weather conditions: a historic cold snap at the beginning of the month, wildfires, and a drought that affects 99% of the state.[30]
- Chief Financial Officer Ingoglia announces that six state employees were arrested for filing bogus property damage claims through the Florida Department of Financial Services' Division of Risk Management. The fraudulent claims amounted to about $1.7 million.[31]
- February 10 – 51-year old Russel Kot kills seven people, including himself, in a series of shootings in Fort Lauderdale and Sarasota. Kot kills his former romantic partner and her son in the Victoria Park neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale, and proceeds to kill his former romantic partner's brother, family friend, and parents in the Amberlea neighborhood near Sarasota. Kot's motive is unknown.[32][33]
- February 15 – Tyler Reddick wins the 2026 Daytona 500. It is Reddick's first Daytona 500 win as a NASCAR driver and Michael Jordan's first win as an owner.[34]
Scheduled events
- April 20–April 24 – Special legislative session of the Florida Legislature on congressional redistricting.[35]
- August 18 – Democratic and Republican primaries for the 2026 Florida gubernatorial election and 2026 United States Senate special election in Florida.[36]
- November 3 –
- 2026 Florida gubernatorial election[37]
- 2026 Florida Attorney General election
- 2026 Florida Chief Financial Officer election
- 2026 Florida Commissioner of Agriculture election
- 2026 Florida Senate election
- 2026 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida
- 2026 United States Senate special election in Florida
- October – Jury trial scheduled for Phoenix Ikner, the suspect in the 2025 Florida State University shooting.[38]
Unknown dates
- The 2026 G20 Miami summit will be held at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Florida.[39]
See also
References
- ^ Fineout, Gary (January 7, 2026). "DeSantis calls April special legislative session on Florida congressional redistricting". Politico.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Spitzer, Michelle (January 12, 2026). "Florida's first execution of 2026 is in February. Here's the details". Florida Today.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Fischer, David (February 10, 2026). "Man convicted of killing a traveling salesman becomes first person executed in Florida this year". Associated Press.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Gancarski, A.G. (January 12, 2026). "Jay Collins declares for Governor". Florida Politics.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Teman, Sasha (January 12, 2026). "Florida legislative session kicks off Tuesday". Spectrum News 13.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Perry, Mitch (January 13, 2026). "In his last State-of-the-State address, DeSantis vows: 'We will get the job done.'". Florida Pheonix.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Svirnovskiy, Gregory (January 13, 2026). "Florida Rep. Neal Dunn to retire". Politico.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Jones, Samadhi (January 14, 2026). "Tanenbaum Joins the Supreme Court". Florida Bar News.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Jones, Samadhi (January 16, 2026). "Court opens door to new law school accreditors for Bar admission". Florida Bar News.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Grylls, George (January 21, 2026). "Boris Johnson is teaching at US universities. Students can't get enough". The Times.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Fins, Antonio (January 16, 2025). "Southern Boulevard named for Trump. Is Palm Beach International next?". The Palm Beach Post.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Gancarski, A.G. (January 19, 2026). "Severed alliance: Christina Pushaw befriends, advises James Fishback … then regrets it". Florida Politics.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Russo, Ralph (January 19, 2026). "Indiana completes one of the most astonishing turnarounds in all sports with first national title". The New York Times.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Dixon, Drew (January 19, 2026). "James Uthmeier: Florida's affirmative action laws are unconstitutional". Florida Politics.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Saunders, Jim (January 23, 2026). "DeSantis signs death warrant for man convicted in 1986 murder of Manatee grocery-store owner". WUSF.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Gancarski, A.G. (January 24, 2026). "'Team Freedom': Gov. DeSantis tightens Florida's ties with Germany". Florida Politics.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Ogles, Jacob (January 23, 2026). "Keith Gross accuses Evan Power of abusing Florida GOP resources to boost congressional bid". Florida Politics.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Rosica, Jim (January 28, 2026). "Florida Senate president Albritton discharged from hospital". Naples Daily News.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Scorsch, Peter (January 27, 2026). "Vern Buchanan to retire from Congress after 20 years of distinguished service". Florida Politics.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Sexton, Christine (January 28, 2026). "DeSantis administration sued over changes to AIDS insurance and drugs program". Florida Phoenix.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Sullivan, Dan (January 29, 2026). "Tampa judge barred from sentencing in shooting of rapper Julio Foolio". Tampa Bay Times.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Shields, Malcolm (January 28, 2026). "Florida bans nurse from practicing after disturbing social media comments about White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt". WPBF 25 News.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Khalyleh, Hana; Greenlee, Will (January 31, 2026). "Florida cop killer's death warrant signed by DeSantis. What to know". USA Today.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Shepard, Skyler (January 30, 2026). "Second FL nurse loses RN status after posts saying he'd refuse anesthesia to MAGA patients". WPEC CBS 12.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Turner, Jim (February 3, 2026). "Florida declares end to all 2026 ballot initiative petition drives as new law takes effect". Jacksonville Business Journal.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Rego, Max (February 3, 2026). "Florida GOP governor candidate created Tinder account 'to meet young female voters where they are'". The Hill.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Harrell, Gershon (February 3, 2026). "Florida DOE warns against student protests, educator involvement". CBS12 News.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Mazzei, Patricia; Adams, David (February 4, 2026). "Man Convicted of Trying to Assassinate Trump Gets Life Sentence". The New York Times.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Coultoff, Alexa (January 30, 2026). "Florida to give driver's license exams only in English, DMV says". Tampa Bay Times.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Atienza, Julian (February 13, 2026). "Florida fire danger spikes as 'Extreme Drought' reaches 25-year high, as state of emergency declared". FOX Weather.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Dixon, Drew (February 9, 2026). "Blaise Ingoglia: Half a dozen state employees busted in fraud scheme". Florida Politics.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Scouten, Ted; Dodge, Abby; Soler, Ana Maria (February 11, 2026). "6 people killed in Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale; police say the murders are connected and a suspect also dead". CBS News. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ Gholar, Samantha (February 13, 2026). "Amberlea mass shooting deadliest crime day in Sarasota County history". Herald-Tribune.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Ostley, Ayrton (February 15, 2026). "Michael Jordan celebrates first Daytona 500 championship as NASCAR owner". USA Today. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
- ^ "Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Special Legislative Session on Congressional Redistricting". Executive Office of the Governor. January 7, 2026.
- ^ "2026 State Primary Election Dates". NCSL. May 9, 2025.
- ^ McCloud, Cheryl (3 September 2025). "Race for next Florida governor hits 27 candidates. See list of those seeking to replace DeSantis". Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Christensen, Caroline (October 1, 2025). "Trial delayed until Oct. 2026 for man charged with FSU shooting". WCTV.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Jacobs, Jennifer; O'Keefe, Ed; Brown, Kristen (September 5, 2025). "Trump announces plans to host 2026 G20 summit at his Doral resort". CBS News.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)