This guide walks through the Hillsborough County sample ballot for the August 18, 2026 primary, race by race. It is written for voters in Florida’s 14th Congressional District — Brandon, Riverview, Plant City, Valrico, Sun City Center, and the rest of eastern and southern Hillsborough. Every fact is checked against the Florida Division of Elections qualified-candidate lists and the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.
Which Ballot You Get: Republican, Democratic, or Nonpartisan
Florida is a closed-primary state, so the Supervisor of Elections prints three ballot styles for August 18. Registered Republicans get the Republican ballot, registered Democrats the Democratic ballot, and everyone else — including No Party Affiliation (NPA) voters — gets a nonpartisan ballot. The registration and party-change deadline for this primary was July 20, 2026.
NPA voters are not shut out in August. Nonpartisan judicial races appear on every voter’s ballot, along with the school-board races that are up — countywide District 6 for everyone, single-member District 2 for its residents (the full school-board guide).
The nonpartisan ballot also carries any Universal Primary Contests. Those are races where all candidates are from one party, so the primary opens to every voter. Hillsborough has three this cycle:
- State Senate District 16
- State House District 62
- State House District 63
Every voter who lives in those districts votes in them regardless of registration.
The Republican Ballot in FL-14
U.S. Congress, Florida’s 14th Congressional District — the race this site covers. Eight Republicans qualified, per the Florida Division of Elections: Mike Beltran, Michael Marcel, John Peters, Robert “Rocky” Rochford, Gavriel Soriano, Kevin Steele, Ergin Tek, and Bea Valenti. The winner faces nine-term incumbent Kathy Castor in November. There is no Democratic primary for this seat, which makes the Republican primary the only contested congressional race on any August ballot in FL-14. The full sourced field is on the FL-14 candidates 2026 guide.
U.S. Senate (special primary) — yes, there is a Senate race this year: a special election for the seat Marco Rubio resigned to become Secretary of State. Appointed Senator Ashley Moody faces three Republican challengers (Chris Gleason, Neelam Taneja Perry, and Ernest “Ernie” Rivera); the special general is November 3.
Governor — with Gov. DeSantis term-limited, Republicans choose from a crowded field led by Byron Donalds, Jay Collins, and Paul Renner.
Chief Financial Officer — incumbent Blaise Ingoglia vs. Frank Collige.
Commissioner of Agriculture — incumbent Wilton Simpson vs. Matt Taylor.
Plus any contested Republican primaries for state legislative seats and County Commission districts where you live, and the nonpartisan races below.
The Democratic and Nonpartisan Ballots
Democratic voters in FL-14 will see no congressional primary — Kathy Castor qualified unopposed. Their August ballot carries these statewide primaries.
U.S. Senate (special primary) — Alex Vindman vs. state Rep. Angie Nixon.
Governor — a field led by David Jolly.
Chief Financial Officer — Annette Taddeo vs. Earle Ford.
Commissioner of Agriculture — Joey Mendoza Atkins vs. Don Prichard.
Plus any contested local Democratic primaries and the nonpartisan races.
Every voter — including NPA — sees the nonpartisan judicial races and the applicable school-board races (who votes in which), plus any Universal Primary Contest for their district.
What’s NOT on the August Ballot
- Attorney General: James Uthmeier (R) and Jose Javier Rodriguez (D) each qualified unopposed, so that race appears only in November.
- State Senate District 14: if you heard about a “District 14 special election,” that was the state Senate special election, decided March 24, 2026. It is a different office from the congressional FL-14 — untangled fully here. The SD-14 regular-term rematch goes straight to the November 3 general because both candidates qualified without primary opponents.
- Amendment 3, the homestead property-tax amendment, is a November 3 ballot item, not an August one.
How to See Your Exact Ballot
District lines decide which state house, senate, county commission, and school board races you vote in. That makes your personalized sample ballot the authoritative answer: look it up at votehillsborough.gov, available since early July. You can also download the full Republican, Democratic, and No Party Affiliation sample-ballot PDFs the Supervisor of Elections posts on its 2026 Primary Election page. Not sure which congressional district you’re in after the 2026 redraw? Check Am I in the new FL-14?
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Early voting (27 sites, 10 AM–6 PM, any site countywide) | August 3–16, 2026 |
| Vote-by-mail request deadline | 5 PM, August 6, 2026 |
| Primary Election Day (polls 7 AM–7 PM) | August 18, 2026 |
Full walkthrough: how to vote in Florida’s 2026 primary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is on the ballot in Hillsborough County in August 2026?
It depends on your party registration. Republicans vote in the FL-14 congressional primary, which has eight candidates. Both parties have primaries for the special U.S. Senate seat, governor, CFO, and Agriculture Commissioner, plus contested state legislative and County Commission races. Every voter sees the nonpartisan judicial races, the applicable school-board races, and any Universal Primary Contests.
Can NPA and independent voters vote on August 18 in Hillsborough?
Yes, on a nonpartisan ballot. Judicial races appear on every voter’s ballot. The countywide school-board District 6 race appears for everyone, and District 2 appears for its residents. Voters in State Senate District 16 or House Districts 62 and 63 also vote in those Universal Primary Contests. Party primaries — including the FL-14 congressional primary — require party registration by the July 20 book closing.
Where do I find my official Hillsborough County sample ballot?
At votehillsborough.gov: use the personalized sample-ballot lookup, or download the all-races Republican, Democratic, and No Party Affiliation sample-ballot PDFs from the 2026 Primary Election page. Sample ballots are also mailed or emailed to registered voters before the election.
Is there a congressional primary in FL-14 for Democrats in 2026?
No. Kathy Castor is the only qualified Democrat, so she advances automatically to the November 3 general election. The Republican primary on August 18 is the only contested congressional race in FL-14 this August.
Know the Ballot, Then Make It Count
The August 18 primary decides who represents the new FL-14 on November’s ballot. With no Democratic congressional primary, it is the decisive congressional vote of the summer in Hillsborough County. Review the full FL-14 candidate field, confirm your ballot at votehillsborough.gov, and see where John Peters stands on the issues.