Retain Daniel H. Sleet

Judge Daniel Sleet once prosecuted cases here, as a Hillsborough County assistant state attorney from 1987 to 1991. Now voters are deciding whether he stays on the Second District Court of Appeal. Governor Rick Scott appointed Sleet to the appeals court in 2012. A retention vote is a simple yes-or-no question about keeping the judge. A majority of Yes votes keeps him on the bench, and Florida voters have never removed an appellate judge. For years, the Florida Bar surveyed lawyers about judges facing retention, but it ended that poll in 2023. In the Bar's 2020 poll, 85 percent of responding lawyers favored keeping Sleet. The research turned up no organized campaign for or against him and no position from progressive groups. On the right, the Hillsborough County Republican Party's slate card recommends retaining every judge on the ballot. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's guide lists a Yes vote on Sleet. The research found no recommendation from the Tampa Bay Times. Research as of October 23, 2026. Sources and the full picture are on this page.