Voters across western Hillsborough County head to the polls today for a special election that will finally fill a vacant Florida Senate seat left open when Jay Collins moved into the lieutenant governor’s office. On the ballot: Republican former state representative Josie Tomkow and Democrat Brian Nathan, a union leader and Navy veteran, in a one-on-one showdown. Polls close at 7 p.m. local time, and whoever comes out on top will serve the remainder of Collins’ term.
Election basics
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections has set the special general election for State Senate District 14 for today, with early voting held March 14-21 and a 5 p.m. deadline on March 12 to request a vote-by-mail ballot. According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, Election Day polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and only residents who live inside District 14 are eligible to vote. County election materials also direct voters to sample ballots and a precinct lookup tool so they can confirm where they are supposed to cast a ballot.
Who's on the ballot
Only two major-party candidates qualified for the special general election, which meant there was no need for a separate primary. WUSF reported that Republican Josie Tomkow gave up her Polk County House seat in order to make the run, while Tampa Democrat Brian Nathan jumped in as a labor-backed challenger. Tomkow’s bid highlights her legislative background and endorsements from local law enforcement, according to the Josie Tomkow campaign. Nathan’s pitch centers on his service as a Navy veteran and IBEW leader with a focus on working-class concerns, per the Brian Nathan campaign.
Why the race matters
The seat has been unfilled since Gov. Ron DeSantis elevated Jay Collins to lieutenant governor last year, leaving District 14 without a voice in the state Senate for months, according to AP News. Early voting in the special election has leaned Republican, The Tampa Bay Times reported, an edge Tomkow’s camp is hoping holds through Election Day turnout. The winner will finish out Collins’ term and could be back on the ballot again in the regular 2026 cycle, according to reporting from the USA TODAY network.
How to vote and what to expect tonight
For anyone who did not cast a ballot during the early voting period, in-person early voting sites were open March 14-21, and Election Day hours run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., per the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. Requests for vote-by-mail ballots were due by 5 p.m. on March 12, and completed mail ballots must arrive by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted, according to the county. Florida’s polling-place rules state that anyone in line at 7 p.m. must be allowed to vote, and tabulated results cannot be released until polls have closed, according to the Florida Department of State.
