Florida local trial court judicial elections, 2020
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- Main articles: State judicial elections, 2020 and Local trial court judicial elections, 2020
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of elections in America's 100 largest cities by population. This coverage extends to every office on the ballot for residents of these cities, including local trial court judges. In 2020, Ballotpedia covered the following local elections in this state:
- Jacksonville, Florida - Circuit court judgeships, county court judgeships, soil and water conservation district, city council (special election), clerk of courts, state attorney, public defender, community development district boards
- Hillsborough County, Florida - County commissioners, sheriff, county court judgeships, tax collector, property appraiser, supervisor of elections, soil and water conservation districts, clerk of court, state attorney, public defender
- Miami-Dade County, Florida - County commissioners, county mayor, property appraiser, clerk of court, county judgeships, special districts, soil and water conservation district, state attorney, public defender
- Orange County, Florida - Clerk, comptroller, property appraiser, public defender, sheriff, state attorney, supervisor of elections, tax collector, Orange County Court judges, soil and water conservation districts
- Pinellas County, Florida - County commissioners, clerk of circuit court, comptroller, sheriff, property appraiser, tax collector, supervisor of elections, county judgeships, fire control district, state attorney, public defender
If the above list includes local trial court judgeships, click the links for more information about the elections. Click here to learn more about how the judges in this state are selected. Ballotpedia did not cover all local trial court judicial elections in this state in 2020. Please consider donating to Ballotpedia to help us expand our coverage of these elections.
Election rules
Each of Florida's 67 counties has its own county court with varying numbers of judges serving on each county court's bench. These courts handle such matters as misdemeanors, small claims (under $500 disputed), civil cases (under $15,000 disputed), and traffic violations. The state also has 20 circuit courts, which hear felony, family law, civil (over $15,000 disputed), probate issues, and juvenile cases. They also hear appeals from county courts.
Primary election
To get on the ballot, candidates for judicial office are required to obtain signatures equal to at least one percent of the number of registered electors in the geographic boundary of the district.[1] Trial court judicial candidates compete in nonpartisan primaries designed to narrow the field to two candidates for the general election. Candidates who receive a simple majority (fifty percent plus one vote) of the vote in the primary are considered winners and are not on the ballot in the general election unless a write-in candidate qualifies for the same office. Candidates who are unopposed for any office do not appear on the ballot and are considered automatically elected.[2][3]
General election
In the general election, trial court candidates compete in nonpartisan elections. Partisan organizations and political parties are forbidden from endorsing, supporting, or opposing candidates for office.[4]
Additional elections
- See also: Florida elections, 2020
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Four of 67 Florida counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Jefferson County, Florida | 5.06% | 1.75% | 3.66% | ||||
| Monroe County, Florida | 6.82% | 0.44% | 4.90% | ||||
| Pinellas County, Florida | 1.11% | 5.65% | 8.25% | ||||
| St. Lucie County, Florida | 2.40% | 7.86% | 12.12% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Florida with 49 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.8 percent. Florida was considered a key battleground state in the 2016 general election. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Florida voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time. Florida went to the Republicans in 2000, 2004, and 2016, and it went to the Democrats in 2008 and 2012.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Florida. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[5][6]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 55 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 29.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 54 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 30.3 points. Clinton won 14 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 65 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 17.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 66 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 21.1 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 36.20% | 62.79% | R+26.6 | 34.08% | 62.44% | R+28.4 | R |
| 2 | 40.60% | 58.27% | R+17.7 | 39.85% | 55.53% | R+15.7 | R |
| 3 | 22.07% | 76.75% | R+54.7 | 19.63% | 76.01% | R+56.4 | R |
| 4 | 25.64% | 73.07% | R+47.4 | 24.90% | 69.68% | R+44.8 | R |
| 5 | 25.87% | 73.02% | R+47.2 | 21.51% | 76.01% | R+54.5 | R |
| 6 | 28.12% | 70.72% | R+42.6 | 25.59% | 70.40% | R+44.8 | R |
| 7 | 35.78% | 63.03% | R+27.3 | 29.54% | 67.81% | R+38.3 | R |
| 8 | 76.69% | 22.32% | D+54.4 | 74.29% | 22.33% | D+52 | D |
| 9 | 52.23% | 46.70% | D+5.5 | 52.98% | 42.92% | D+10.1 | D |
| 10 | 29.54% | 69.49% | R+40 | 24.47% | 73.15% | R+48.7 | R |
| 11 | 29.10% | 69.98% | R+40.9 | 28.75% | 67.52% | R+38.8 | R |
| 12 | 38.82% | 60.18% | R+21.4 | 39.91% | 55.90% | R+16 | R |
| 13 | 66.27% | 33.01% | D+33.3 | 64.06% | 33.01% | D+31.1 | D |
| 14 | 67.05% | 32.34% | D+34.7 | 64.74% | 32.99% | D+31.8 | D |
| 15 | 43.22% | 55.85% | R+12.6 | 43.85% | 52.54% | R+8.7 | R |
| 16 | 36.02% | 63.09% | R+27.1 | 38.53% | 57.46% | R+18.9 | R |
| 17 | 29.91% | 69.15% | R+39.2 | 31.55% | 64.91% | R+33.4 | R |
| 18 | 27.33% | 71.82% | R+44.5 | 27.27% | 69.17% | R+41.9 | R |
| 19 | 31.02% | 68.02% | R+37 | 25.79% | 71.54% | R+45.8 | R |
| 20 | 65.02% | 33.40% | D+31.6 | 63.38% | 32.58% | D+30.8 | D |
| 21 | 47.01% | 51.55% | R+4.5 | 47.92% | 47.87% | D+0.1 | R |
| 22 | 40.28% | 58.79% | R+18.5 | 35.09% | 62.28% | R+27.2 | R |
| 23 | 38.65% | 60.23% | R+21.6 | 31.70% | 65.06% | R+33.4 | R |
| 24 | 41.79% | 57.34% | R+15.6 | 35.96% | 61.17% | R+25.2 | R |
| 25 | 43.38% | 55.73% | R+12.4 | 37.23% | 59.47% | R+22.2 | R |
| 26 | 57.57% | 41.40% | D+16.2 | 49.01% | 47.49% | D+1.5 | D |
| 27 | 50.25% | 48.70% | D+1.6 | 42.51% | 54.04% | R+11.5 | R |
| 28 | 46.01% | 52.86% | R+6.9 | 46.02% | 49.59% | R+3.6 | R |
| 29 | 44.35% | 54.70% | R+10.4 | 45.97% | 50.16% | R+4.2 | R |
| 30 | 50.06% | 48.88% | D+1.2 | 51.93% | 43.61% | D+8.3 | R |
| 31 | 40.55% | 58.49% | R+17.9 | 37.12% | 59.50% | R+22.4 | R |
| 32 | 43.05% | 56.11% | R+13.1 | 40.66% | 56.10% | R+15.4 | R |
| 33 | 33.03% | 66.40% | R+33.4 | 29.41% | 68.70% | R+39.3 | R |
| 34 | 38.74% | 60.18% | R+21.4 | 28.67% | 68.26% | R+39.6 | R |
| 35 | 45.66% | 53.25% | R+7.6 | 34.40% | 62.35% | R+28 | R |
| 36 | 51.81% | 46.55% | D+5.3 | 37.97% | 58.18% | R+20.2 | R |
| 37 | 42.35% | 56.41% | R+14.1 | 34.77% | 61.75% | R+27 | R |
| 38 | 44.80% | 54.00% | R+9.2 | 39.90% | 56.32% | R+16.4 | R |
| 39 | 43.29% | 55.62% | R+12.3 | 38.74% | 57.77% | R+19 | R |
| 40 | 46.30% | 52.68% | R+6.4 | 41.48% | 54.62% | R+13.1 | R |
| 41 | 48.78% | 50.29% | R+1.5 | 45.76% | 51.24% | R+5.5 | R |
| 42 | 49.88% | 49.23% | D+0.7 | 46.82% | 49.98% | R+3.2 | R |
| 43 | 74.04% | 25.31% | D+48.7 | 73.13% | 24.03% | D+49.1 | D |
| 44 | 45.77% | 53.48% | R+7.7 | 51.21% | 45.05% | D+6.2 | R |
| 45 | 68.39% | 30.95% | D+37.4 | 67.75% | 29.32% | D+38.4 | D |
| 46 | 85.10% | 14.40% | D+70.7 | 82.72% | 14.71% | D+68 | D |
| 47 | 49.79% | 49.04% | D+0.8 | 53.85% | 41.40% | D+12.5 | R |
| 48 | 71.31% | 27.89% | D+43.4 | 71.71% | 25.05% | D+46.7 | D |
| 49 | 59.87% | 38.85% | D+21 | 61.07% | 33.94% | D+27.1 | D |
| 50 | 46.33% | 52.71% | R+6.4 | 46.10% | 49.78% | R+3.7 | R |
| 51 | 43.21% | 55.60% | R+12.4 | 37.31% | 58.51% | R+21.2 | R |
| 52 | 39.39% | 59.51% | R+20.1 | 36.49% | 59.05% | R+22.6 | R |
| 53 | 48.93% | 49.90% | R+1 | 42.52% | 53.45% | R+10.9 | R |
| 54 | 39.76% | 59.51% | R+19.8 | 37.01% | 60.11% | R+23.1 | R |
| 55 | 38.22% | 60.83% | R+22.6 | 31.47% | 66.00% | R+34.5 | R |
| 56 | 41.15% | 57.81% | R+16.7 | 35.36% | 61.69% | R+26.3 | R |
| 57 | 42.15% | 56.94% | R+14.8 | 42.01% | 54.38% | R+12.4 | R |
| 58 | 46.77% | 52.09% | R+5.3 | 43.06% | 53.20% | R+10.1 | R |
| 59 | 49.52% | 49.33% | D+0.2 | 47.68% | 48.08% | R+0.4 | R |
| 60 | 45.69% | 53.23% | R+7.5 | 47.16% | 48.50% | R+1.3 | R |
| 61 | 84.25% | 14.95% | D+69.3 | 80.00% | 16.79% | D+63.2 | D |
| 62 | 64.91% | 34.12% | D+30.8 | 63.03% | 33.28% | D+29.8 | D |
| 63 | 52.82% | 46.09% | D+6.7 | 53.22% | 42.91% | D+10.3 | R |
| 64 | 43.41% | 55.66% | R+12.3 | 43.51% | 52.80% | R+9.3 | R |
| 65 | 45.20% | 53.72% | R+8.5 | 41.15% | 55.05% | R+13.9 | R |
| 66 | 47.12% | 51.78% | R+4.7 | 41.07% | 55.29% | R+14.2 | R |
| 67 | 52.12% | 46.53% | D+5.6 | 45.78% | 49.98% | R+4.2 | R |
| 68 | 54.01% | 44.56% | D+9.5 | 50.98% | 44.15% | D+6.8 | D |
| 69 | 51.25% | 47.57% | D+3.7 | 46.57% | 49.53% | R+3 | R |
| 70 | 79.17% | 20.00% | D+59.2 | 73.65% | 23.39% | D+50.3 | D |
| 71 | 45.45% | 53.64% | R+8.2 | 42.72% | 53.89% | R+11.2 | R |
| 72 | 47.80% | 51.26% | R+3.5 | 46.03% | 50.71% | R+4.7 | D |
| 73 | 37.59% | 61.60% | R+24 | 35.82% | 61.14% | R+25.3 | R |
| 74 | 42.64% | 56.48% | R+13.8 | 37.10% | 60.20% | R+23.1 | R |
| 75 | 42.40% | 56.68% | R+14.3 | 34.70% | 62.49% | R+27.8 | R |
| 76 | 35.45% | 64.01% | R+28.6 | 35.24% | 61.90% | R+26.7 | R |
| 77 | 41.60% | 57.61% | R+16 | 36.05% | 60.86% | R+24.8 | R |
| 78 | 44.44% | 54.88% | R+10.4 | 42.96% | 53.85% | R+10.9 | R |
| 79 | 45.93% | 53.26% | R+7.3 | 39.89% | 57.01% | R+17.1 | R |
| 80 | 38.79% | 60.51% | R+21.7 | 36.96% | 60.49% | R+23.5 | R |
| 81 | 60.36% | 39.13% | D+21.2 | 59.06% | 39.12% | D+19.9 | D |
| 82 | 38.70% | 60.58% | R+21.9 | 36.91% | 60.22% | R+23.3 | R |
| 83 | 48.78% | 50.42% | R+1.6 | 43.71% | 53.43% | R+9.7 | R |
| 84 | 53.34% | 45.89% | D+7.5 | 47.96% | 49.59% | R+1.6 | D |
| 85 | 47.28% | 52.04% | R+4.8 | 44.74% | 52.71% | R+8 | R |
| 86 | 58.97% | 40.46% | D+18.5 | 56.40% | 41.24% | D+15.2 | D |
| 87 | 68.41% | 30.79% | D+37.6 | 65.09% | 32.03% | D+33.1 | D |
| 88 | 82.26% | 17.18% | D+65.1 | 78.19% | 19.67% | D+58.5 | D |
| 89 | 47.47% | 51.83% | R+4.4 | 48.96% | 48.44% | D+0.5 | R |
| 90 | 62.95% | 36.37% | D+26.6 | 59.38% | 38.20% | D+21.2 | D |
| 91 | 58.67% | 40.92% | D+17.8 | 59.17% | 39.23% | D+19.9 | D |
| 92 | 74.08% | 25.42% | D+48.7 | 71.50% | 26.66% | D+44.8 | D |
| 93 | 47.43% | 51.88% | R+4.5 | 48.32% | 49.43% | R+1.1 | R |
| 94 | 83.50% | 16.05% | D+67.5 | 81.01% | 17.21% | D+63.8 | D |
| 95 | 86.68% | 12.99% | D+73.7 | 85.09% | 13.47% | D+71.6 | D |
| 96 | 61.11% | 38.32% | D+22.8 | 60.59% | 37.30% | D+23.3 | D |
| 97 | 65.66% | 33.79% | D+31.9 | 65.26% | 32.41% | D+32.9 | D |
| 98 | 60.99% | 38.39% | D+22.6 | 61.02% | 36.58% | D+24.4 | D |
| 99 | 61.62% | 37.75% | D+23.9 | 59.47% | 38.07% | D+21.4 | D |
| 100 | 57.57% | 41.85% | D+15.7 | 58.15% | 39.86% | D+18.3 | D |
| 101 | 79.29% | 20.19% | D+59.1 | 76.54% | 21.27% | D+55.3 | D |
| 102 | 85.86% | 13.86% | D+72 | 83.21% | 15.08% | D+68.1 | D |
| 103 | 54.82% | 44.76% | D+10.1 | 58.71% | 39.21% | D+19.5 | R |
| 104 | 58.34% | 41.21% | D+17.1 | 62.33% | 35.40% | D+26.9 | D |
| 105 | 53.14% | 46.37% | D+6.8 | 56.16% | 41.22% | D+14.9 | R |
| 106 | 31.21% | 68.26% | R+37.1 | 33.84% | 63.71% | R+29.9 | R |
| 107 | 86.16% | 13.52% | D+72.6 | 83.68% | 14.67% | D+69 | D |
| 108 | 89.58% | 10.12% | D+79.5 | 87.11% | 11.24% | D+75.9 | D |
| 109 | 90.13% | 9.58% | D+80.6 | 86.38% | 12.14% | D+74.2 | D |
| 110 | 50.15% | 49.43% | D+0.7 | 52.71% | 45.14% | D+7.6 | R |
| 111 | 47.97% | 51.64% | R+3.7 | 52.16% | 45.66% | D+6.5 | R |
| 112 | 53.53% | 45.94% | D+7.6 | 61.62% | 35.70% | D+25.9 | D |
| 113 | 63.42% | 35.97% | D+27.5 | 67.40% | 30.24% | D+37.2 | D |
| 114 | 50.14% | 49.27% | D+0.9 | 55.75% | 41.60% | D+14.2 | D |
| 115 | 49.45% | 50.03% | R+0.6 | 54.08% | 43.37% | D+10.7 | R |
| 116 | 44.48% | 55.04% | R+10.6 | 50.91% | 46.43% | D+4.5 | R |
| 117 | 82.64% | 17.02% | D+65.6 | 78.36% | 19.57% | D+58.8 | D |
| 118 | 51.39% | 48.14% | D+3.3 | 54.87% | 42.54% | D+12.3 | D |
| 119 | 50.32% | 49.20% | D+1.1 | 55.15% | 42.23% | D+12.9 | R |
| 120 | 52.28% | 46.85% | D+5.4 | 49.21% | 47.52% | D+1.7 | R |
| Total | 50.01% | 49.13% | D+0.9 | 47.82% | 49.02% | R+1.2 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Local courts | Florida | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|
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 |
 |
Footnotes
- ↑ Florida Election Law, "Sec. 105.035(e)," accessed April 29, 2014
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed May 4, 2014
- ↑ Florida State Legislature, "2017 Florida Statutes, Chapter 105, Nonpartisan Elections," accessed September 25, 2017
- ↑ Florida Election Code, "Sec. 105.09," accessed May 4, 2014
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida
State courts:
Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court
State resources:
Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida
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