After a competitive primary season in South Florida, the 2022 midterms are finally upon us. Many have already received their mail-in ballots, while those voting in person can take part in early voting from Monday, Oct. 24.
The biggest date in the U.S. election calendar since the 2020 presidential vote, this year's general election will be loaded with national hot-button issues including the overturning of Roe v Wade, inflation and immigration.
With the balance of power in the U.S. House and Senate in play, and with the battle between Ron DeSantis and Charlie Crist among the most closely-watched gubernatorial races in the country, the sunshine state will once again play its part in high-stakes contests.
But closer to home, voters across South Florida have multiple local decisions to make on their ballots, many of which will have a more significant — and, in the case of referendum questions, a more permanent — effect on their day-to-day lives.
However, often the candidates for roles such as county commissioner, school board member, circuit courts judge, or even those trying to get voted into the state Senate or House, have much lower name recognition. Meanwhile, referendums and other ballot questions can be hard to even understand, let alone make a decision on.
We have already published a voting guide that will help you find who is on your ballot and how to cast your vote. We also have put together an explainer that translates into plain English the statewide and countywide questions as well as some municipalities's referendums.
You can also find out about prospective judges, including the voluntary self-disclosure statements they have provided to the Florida Bar, here.
To help you further on this journey, we have compiled endorsements from newspapers, unions and other voices in the South Florida community, below.
Nonetheless, we strongly encourage voters to do their own research, including on these pages and by listening to WLRN’s on-air election coverage.
Unions
Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association
Communications Workers of America
Groups
Americans for Prosperity - Florida
National Right to Life Victory Fund
Newspapers
Miami Herald Editorial Board
Governor: Charlie Crist (Dem)
U.S. Senator: Val Demings (Dem)
Attorney General: Aramis Ayala (Dem)
Chief Financial Officer: Adam Hattersley (Dem)
U.S. House Representative
District 24: Frederica Wilson (Dem)
District 27: Annette Taddeo (Dem)
District 28: Robert Asencio (Dem)
State Senator
District 36: Raquel Pacheco (Dem)
District 38: Janelle Perez (Dem)
State Representative
District 106: Jordan W. Leonard
District 113: Alessandro "A.J." D'Amico
District 114: Demi Busatta Cabrera
District 115: Christie Cantin Davis
District 118: Johnny Gonzalo Farias
District 119: Gabriel Gonzalez
District 120: James "Jim" V. Mooney Jr
Florida Constitutional Amendments - statewide
Amendment 1: No
Amendment 2: No
Amendment 3: No
Miami-Dade County Commissioner
District 2: Marleine Bastien
District 6: Jorge Fors
Miami-Dade County Referendum Questions - countywide
Referendum 1: Yes
Referendum 2: Yes
School Tax Referendum: Yes
City of Miami Charter Amendment Question: No
Miami Beach Commissioner
Sabrina Cohen
Miami Beach Ballot Questions
Question 1: Yes
Question 2: Yes
Question 3: Yes
Question 4: Yes
Question 5: Yes
Question 6: Yes
Question 7: Yes
Question 8: Yes
Palm Beach Post
U.S. Senator: Val Demings (Dem)
Attorney General: Aramis Ayala (Dem)
Florida Agriculture Commissioner: Wilton Simpson (Rep)
Chief Financial Officer: Adam Hattersley (Dem)
U.S. House Representative
District 20: Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Dem)
District 21: Corinna Balderramos Robinson (Dem)
District 22: Lois Frankel (Dem)
District 23: Jared Moskowitz (Dem)
State Senator
District 24: Bobby Powell (Dem)
District 26: Lori Berman (Dem)
District 30: Tina Polsky (Dem)
State Representative
District 93: Katherine Waldron (Dem)
District 94: Rick Roth (Rep)
District 91: Andy Thomson (Dem)
District 92: Kelly Skidmore (Dem)
District 89: David Silvers (Dem)
District 90: Joe Casello (Dem)
District 87: Mike Caruso (Rep)
District 88: Jervonte “Tae” Edmonds (Dem)
Florida Constitutional Amendments - statewide
Amendment 1: No
Amendment 2: No
Amendment 3: No
Florida Supreme Court Justice
Charles Canady: No
John Couriel: No
Jamie Grosshans: No
Jorge Labarga: Yes
Ricky Polston: No
Palm Beach County Commissioner
District 2: Gregg Weiss
District 4: Robert Weinroth
District 6: Michelle Oyola McGovern
Palm Beach County School Board Member
District 6: Marcia Andrews
District 7: Corey Smith
Port of Palm Beach Commissioner
Group 4: Blair Ciklin
Group 5: Deandre Poole
Palm Beach County Referendum Questions - countywide
Housing Bond: Yes
Extend Public Schools Levy: Yes
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Attorney General: Aramis Ayala (Dem)
Chief Financial Officer: Adam Hattersley (Dem)
Agriculture Commissioner: Naomi Blemur (Dem)
U.S. House Representative
District 20: Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Dem)
District 22: Lois Frankel (Dem)
District 23: Jared Moskowitz (Dem)
District 25: Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Dem)
State Senator
District 30: Tina Polsky (Dem)
District 26: Lori Berman (Dem)
State Representative
District 87: Sienna Osta (Dem)
District 90: Joe Casello (Dem)
District 91: Andy Thomson (Dem)
District 92: Kelly Skidmore (Dem)
District 96: Dan Daley (Dem)
District 100: Linda Thompson Gonzalez (Dem)
District 101: Hillary Cassel (Dem)
District 103: Robin Bartleman (Dem)
District 105: Marie Woodson (Dem)
Florida Constitutional Amendments - statewide
Amendment 1: No
Amendment 2: No
Amendment 3: No
Florida Supreme Court Justice
Charles Canady: No
John Couriel: No
Jmie Grosshans: No
Jorge Labarga: Yes
Ricky Polston: No
Fourth District Court of Appeal Judge
Edward Artau: No
Cory Ciklin: Yes
Jonathan D. Gerber: Yes
Robert M. Gross: Yes
Spencer D. Levine: Yes
Melanie G. May: Yes
Broward Circuit Court Judge
Group 23: Gary Farmer
Group 51: Lorena Veronica Mastrarrigo
Broward County Court Judge
Group 15: Chris Marion Brown
Palm Beach County Commissioner
District 2: Gregg Weiss
District 4: Robert Weinroth
District 6: Michelle McGovern
Broward County School Board Member
District 1: Rodney “Rod” Velez
District 5: Ruth Carter-Lynch
District 6: Steven Julian
District 8: Allen Zeman
Palm Beach County School Board Member
District 6: Marcia Andrews
District 7: Edwin Ferguson
Lauderdale Lakes Commissioner
Seat 1: Marilyn Davis
Seat 2: Nethel L. Stephens
Lauderhill Mayor and City Commissioner
Mayor, seat 5: Kenneth Thurston
Commission seat 4: Denise Grant
Wilton Manors
Mayor: Scott Newton
City Commissioner: Paul Rolli and Don D’Arminio
Tamarac
Mayor: Michelle Gomez
District 4: Carol Mendelson
For more details on these recommendations, including criteria, go on the Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
