As of October 13, 2026, Ohio and Florida are the only states holding U.S. Senate special elections on November 3, 2026, because both senators elected in 2022 left in January 2025 for posts in the Trump administration [1]. In Ohio, appointed Sen. Jon Husted (R) faces former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D); in Florida, appointed Sen. Ashley Moody (R) faces state Rep. Angie Nixon (D). The winners serve until January 3, 2029. At the last election for these seats in 2022, Republicans won Ohio by 6.1 points and Florida by 16.4 points [2][3].
Why are Ohio and Florida holding Senate special elections?
Both seats belong to the class of senators elected in 2022 for six-year terms that end in January 2029. Both senators elected that year left office early:
- Ohio: J.D. Vance (R) won the seat in 2022 by 6.1 points and resigned on January 10, 2025, before becoming vice president [2][4]. Gov. Mike DeWine (R) appointed Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R) on January 17, 2025, and Husted took office on January 21, 2025 [5].
- Florida: Marco Rubio (R) won re-election in 2022 by 16.4 points and resigned on January 20, 2025, after the Senate confirmed him as secretary of state [3][6]. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appointed Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) as his successor on January 21, 2025 [6].
Ballotpedia lists no other Senate special elections for the 119th Congress, which runs from 2025 to 2027 [1].
How Senate special elections work
The 17th Amendment requires a state to call an election when a Senate seat becomes vacant, and lets the state legislature allow the governor to make a temporary appointment until voters fill the seat [7]. Ohio and Florida both use that power, so the appointees serve until the special election. The winner on November 3 does not get a new six-year term: the person serves the remaining two years of the term that began in January 2023, which ends on January 3, 2029 [6][8]. Both seats will be on the ballot again in November 2028 for a full term.
Two other appointed senators are on the 2026 ballot, but in regular elections. In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham (R) after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) died on July 11, 2026, and in Oklahoma, Alan Armstrong (R) was appointed in March 2026 and is not running [17][18]. Both seats were already scheduled for regular elections in 2026, so no separate special election was needed [17].
Who is on the ballot in the Ohio and Florida special elections?
Each state held special primaries in 2026. In Ohio's May 5 primary, Brown won the Democratic nomination with 89.4% of the vote (712,106 votes) over Ron Kincaid, and Husted was unopposed for the Republican nomination with 736,413 votes [8]. In Florida's August 18 primary, Nixon won the Democratic nomination over Alex Vindman, 55.9% to 44.1%, and Moody won the Republican nomination with 79.6% in a four-candidate field [6].
| State | Candidate | Party or ballot label | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | Jon Husted | Republican | Appointed senator since January 2025 |
| Ohio | Sherrod Brown | Democratic | U.S. senator from 2007 to 2025 |
| Ohio | William B. Redpath | Libertarian | Libertarian primary winner |
| Ohio | Greg Levy | Other-party (independent) | Filed as an independent |
| Florida | Ashley Moody | Republican | Appointed senator since January 2025 |
| Florida | Angie Nixon | Democratic | Florida House member since 2022 |
| Florida | Neil J. Gillespie | No Party Affiliation | Qualified independent candidate |
Source: Ohio county boards of elections candidate lists (August 2026) [9][10]; Florida Division of Elections candidate listing (accessed October 13, 2026) [11]; Ballotpedia [5][6][8]. Husted, Brown and Redpath are certified for the Ohio general election ballot; the Lake County board also lists Levy as an other-party filer and three write-in candidates, Stephen Faris, Anthony Holliman and Timothy Telymonde [9][10]. In Florida, Moody, Nixon and Gillespie are listed as qualified [11].
How has Ohio voted for Senate and president since 2016?
DataPorium data show Ohio voting Republican for president in each of the last three elections, by 8.1 points in 2016, 8.0 in 2020 and 11.2 in 2024 [12]. Senate races have been more varied: Brown won in 2018 by 6.8 points, then lost his seat to Bernie Moreno (R) in 2024 by 3.6 points [12][13].
| Year | Race | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | President | Donald Trump (R) | R+8.1 |
| 2016 | U.S. Senate | Rob Portman (R) | R+20.9 |
| 2018 | U.S. Senate | Sherrod Brown (D) | D+6.8 |
| 2018 | Governor | Mike DeWine (R) | R+3.7 |
| 2020 | President | Donald Trump (R) | R+8.0 |
| 2022 | U.S. Senate | J.D. Vance (R) | R+6.1 |
| 2022 | Governor | Mike DeWine (R) | R+25.0 |
| 2024 | President | Donald Trump (R) | R+11.2 |
| 2024 | U.S. Senate | Bernie Moreno (R) | R+3.6 |
Source: DataPorium Election Results, certified results, Ohio state page [12]. Husted was lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2025, elected with DeWine on the joint governor ticket that won by 3.7 points in 2018 and 25.0 points in 2022 [5][12]. Brown won Senate races in Ohio in 2006 (D+12.3), 2012 (D+6.0) and 2018 (D+6.8) and lost in 2024 (R+3.6) [12].
Ohio's county pattern
The three largest counties by votes cast lean Democratic. In the 2024 Senate race, Brown carried Franklin County (Columbus) by 33.9 points, Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) by 37.5 points and Hamilton County (Cincinnati) by 19.0 points [13]. Moreno carried 80 of Ohio's 88 counties, and Brown carried 8 [13]. In 2022, Vance won the state by 6.1 points while losing the same three counties by 32.5, 35.6 and 15.4 points [2]. Ohio has voted for the winner of the national popular vote in 10 of the 13 presidential elections since 1976 [12].
How has Florida voted for Senate and president since 2016?
Florida's statewide margins have widened toward Republicans. DataPorium data show Republican presidential margins of 1.2 points in 2016, 3.4 in 2020 and 13.1 in 2024 [14]. In 2018, Rick Scott (R) won the Senate race by 0.1 points; in 2022, Rubio won by 16.4 points, and in 2024, Scott won re-election by 12.8 points [3][14][15].
| Year | Race | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | President | Donald Trump (R) | R+1.2 |
| 2016 | U.S. Senate | Marco Rubio (R) | R+7.7 |
| 2018 | U.S. Senate | Rick Scott (R) | R+0.1 |
| 2018 | Governor | Ron DeSantis (R) | R+0.4 |
| 2020 | President | Donald Trump (R) | R+3.4 |
| 2022 | U.S. Senate | Marco Rubio (R) | R+16.4 |
| 2022 | Governor | Ron DeSantis (R) | R+19.4 |
| 2024 | President | Donald Trump (R) | R+13.1 |
| 2024 | U.S. Senate | Rick Scott (R) | R+12.8 |
Source: DataPorium Election Results, certified results, Florida state page [14]. Moody has run statewide twice, winning the attorney general races of 2018 by 6.0 points and 2022 by 21.2 points; Nixon was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2022 [6][14].
Florida's county pattern
Miami-Dade County, the state's largest by votes cast, shows the biggest change. It voted for the Democratic Senate candidate by 11.3 points in 2016, then for Rubio by 9.4 points in 2022 and for Scott by 10.0 points in 2024 [3][15]. In the 2024 presidential race it voted Republican by 11.4 points, one of six Florida counties that switched from the Democratic to the Republican candidate that year, along with Hillsborough, Pinellas, Duval, Osceola and Seminole [16]. Broward County voted Democratic by 19.2 points in the 2022 Senate race and 20.1 points in 2024, and Palm Beach County was within 2 points in both races [3][15].
Turnout is lower in midterm years in both states. DataPorium data put Ohio's 2022 turnout at 46.2% of citizens of voting age, against 64.6% in 2024, and Florida's at 49.5% in 2022, against 68.6% in 2024 [12][14].
Ohio and Florida elect senators on November 3, 2026 for the two years left in terms that end in January 2029, in seats Republicans last won by 6.1 and 16.4 points.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there a Senate special election in Ohio in 2026?
J.D. Vance resigned on January 10, 2025, before becoming vice president, and appointed Sen. Jon Husted holds the seat until voters fill the rest of the term, which ends January 3, 2029 [4][5][8].
Why is there a Senate special election in Florida in 2026?
Marco Rubio resigned on January 20, 2025, to become secretary of state; Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Ashley Moody, and the November 3 winner serves until January 2029 [6].
How long is the term for the Ohio and Florida Senate seats?
About two years: the winners serve the remainder of terms that began in January 2023, and both seats are up again for full six-year terms in 2028 [6][8].
Who won the Ohio and Florida Senate seats last time?
In 2022, J.D. Vance (R) won Ohio by 6.1 points over Tim Ryan (D), and Marco Rubio (R) won Florida by 16.4 points over Val Demings (D) [2][3].
Sources & References
- [1] Ballotpedia, Special elections to the 119th United States Congress (2025-2026) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- [2] DataPorium Election Results (2022 US Senate, Ohio)
- [3] DataPorium Election Results (2022 US Senate, Florida)
- [4] Ballotpedia, J.D. Vance (accessed October 13, 2026)
- [5] Ballotpedia, Jon Husted (accessed October 13, 2026)
- [6] Ballotpedia, United States Senate special election in Florida, 2026 (accessed October 13, 2026)
- [7] National Archives, The Constitution: Amendments 11-27 (17th Amendment)
- [8] Ballotpedia, United States Senate special election in Ohio, 2026 (accessed October 13, 2026)
- [9] Hamilton County (Ohio) Board of Elections, November 2026 candidate list
- [10] Lake County (Ohio) Board of Elections, 2026 candidate filings (August 25, 2026)
- [11] Florida Division of Elections, Candidate listing for the 2026 general election
- [12] DataPorium Election Results (Ohio results by year and office)
- [13] DataPorium Election Results (2024 US Senate, Ohio, by county)
- [14] DataPorium Election Results (Florida results by year and office)
- [15] DataPorium Election Results (2024 US Senate, Florida, by county)
- [16] DataPorium Election Results (2024 presidential results by county)
- [17] Ballotpedia, United States Senate elections, 2026 (accessed October 13, 2026)
- [18] NPR, Darline Graham, the sister of Lindsey Graham, is sworn in to serve out his term (July 14, 2026)
