Wesley Chapel voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, August 18, for Florida's statewide primary — and depending on how you're registered, your ballot could include everything from the U.S. Senate race to the contest that decides who sits on the Pasco County School Board. Below is a plain-English guide to the contested races and candidates Wesley Chapel residents can expect to see.
One important thing to understand up front: Florida runs a closed primary. According to the Florida Department of State, that means in most partisan races only voters registered with that party can cast a ballot — registered Republicans vote in Republican primaries, registered Democrats in Democratic primaries. The races listed below are only those where a primary is actually needed; contests with one candidate per party don't appear on the August ballot.
- Primary Election Day: Tuesday, August 18, 2026 (polls open 7 a.m.–7 p.m.)
- Deadline to register or change party affiliation: July 20, 2026
- Florida is a closed-primary state — your party registration determines which partisan races you can vote in
- Judicial and School Board races are nonpartisan — all registered voters can vote in them
Don't miss it: If you want to switch parties to vote in a particular primary, the state deadline to register or change your affiliation is July 20. After that date, your party status is locked in for August 18.
Federal Races
U.S. Senate
The Senate seat draws contested primaries on both sides of the aisle this year.
| Party | Candidates |
|---|---|
| Republican | Ashley Moody (incumbent), Neelam Taneja Perry, Ernest "Ernie" Rivera, Chris Gleason |
| Democrat | Angie Nixon, Alex Vindman |
U.S. House (Democratic primaries only)
Wesley Chapel sits near the seam of two congressional districts, and registered Democrats will see a House primary depending on where they live.
- U.S. Representative, District 12 (Dem): Darren McAuley, Kimberly Overman
- U.S. Representative, District 15 (Dem): Christopher Irizarry, Robert People
State of Florida Races
Governor
With Gov. Ron DeSantis term-limited, the open governor's race has drawn one of the longest candidate lists on the ballot. The Republican primary is especially crowded; U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has led most early public polling of the GOP field, according to polling tracked by The New York Times.
| Party | Candidates |
|---|---|
| Republican | Jay Collins, Byron Donalds, James Fishback, Jim Holcomb, Arthur Joseph McCaffrey, Daniel Nokovich, Paul Renner, Rachel Rodriguez, James W. Shaw, Caneste Succe, Bobby Williams |
| Democrat | Evelyn Castillo-Bach, Thomas Eloy Fernandez, Dayna Marie Foster, David Jolly, Dotie Joseph, Stephann Norman |
In Florida, the gubernatorial nominee is chosen in the primary, and the winner then selects a running mate for lieutenant governor ahead of the November 3 general election, per Ballotpedia.
Chief Financial Officer
- Republican: Blaise Ingoglia (incumbent), Frank William Collige
- Democrat: Earle Ford, Annette Taddeo
Commissioner of Agriculture
- Republican: Wilton Simpson (incumbent), Matt Taylor
- Democrat: Joey Mendoza Atkins, Donald A. "Don" Prichard
Judicial Races — Open to All Voters
Judicial contests are nonpartisan, so every registered Wesley Chapel voter — regardless of party — can weigh in on these two Circuit Court seats.
- Circuit Court Judge, 6th District, Group 39: Elizabeth "Liz" Constantine, Stefen Diskey
- Circuit Court Judge, 6th District, Group 44: Oxalis Garcia, Elizabeth "Liz" Jack
Pasco County Races
County Commissioner — District 5 (Republican primary)
Although the seat is elected countywide, this primary is open only to registered Republicans: Lisa Yeager (incumbent) faces Jonathan Deckard.
School Board — Open to All Voters
For many local families, the School Board races may be the most consequential names on the ballot. These seats are nonpartisan and elected countywide, so all registered voters can participate — and the August primary could decide some of them outright.
| Seat | Candidates |
|---|---|
| School Board, District 1 | Gino Collura, Kimberly Coward, Christopher King, Brian Perras |
| School Board, District 3 | Matt Geiger, Sean O'Flannery, Dr. Kirk Phillips, Erin Stroupe, Mollyana Ward |
| School Board, District 5 | Megan Harding (incumbent), Michelle Mandarin |
Note: Candidate lists can shift after qualifying deadlines and any withdrawals. For the official, up-to-date roster and to confirm your exact districts, check your personalized sample ballot through the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections.
How to Make Sure You're Ready
Confirm your registration and party affiliation, request a vote-by-mail ballot if you want one, and look up your early-voting options at pascovotes.gov. Remember the July 20 deadline to register or change parties.
This is a guide to the contested primary races affecting Wesley Chapel voters, drawn from the candidate slate and verified against official state and county election resources. Because Florida is a closed-primary state, the exact ballot you receive depends on your party registration and your precise district.
For more local election coverage and updates as the August 18 primary approaches, bookmark Wesley Chapel Community and browse our government & politics and education sections for related stories. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and join the conversation in our Community Forum to tell your neighbors which races you're watching most closely.
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