Research as of Oct. 24, 2026. Early voting runs through Nov. 1; Election Day is Nov. 3. Check your voter info at votehillsborough.gov
Research as of Oct. 24, 2026. Early voting runs through Nov. 1; Election Day is Nov. 3. Check your voter info at votehillsborough.gov
Judicial Retention
Read by a synthetic voice from this page’s research. A summary, not a recommendation.
Before she joined the Second District Court of Appeal in 2019, Judge Andrea Teves Smith was a circuit judge in Polk County starting in 2013, and served as administrative judge for the civil division. Now she faces voters for the first time since 2020, in a yes-or-no retention vote. A majority of Yes votes keeps her on the court, and a majority of No votes would remove her. Florida voters have never removed an appellate judge. The Florida Bar stopped polling lawyers about judges in 2023. In its 2020 poll, 82 percent of responding lawyers favored retaining Teves Smith. The research found no reporting of controversy involving her, and no organized campaign for or against her. No progressive group took a position. The Hillsborough County Republican Party recommends retaining all judges on the ballot. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's guide lists a No vote on Teves Smith. 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.
Second District Court of Appeal
Shall Judge Andrea Teves Smith of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?
Yes · No
FactOfficial sample ballot wording
Second District Court of Appeal
Shall Judge Andrea Teves Smith of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?
Yes · No
FactJudicial · Judicial retention, 5 votes (Muñiz; 2nd DCA: Atkinson, Silberman, Sleet, Teves Smith)
No poll. No appellate judge ever removed
No polls found in the research. This row covers all five retention votes. Research as of Oct. 24, 2026.
No
Creative Loafing listed this pick in its guide without a write-up. Its reporting on the race is below.
Creative Loafing voting guide 2026: How to vote in Tampa Bay, and who we're voting for
Why this leads: The site owner's choice (Oct. 24): the recommendation that best matches the owner's values, shown first on every contest. Still an editorial: one outlet's opinion, not this site's.
Retention votes have no campaign money in the research.
EditorialMoney map
Not found in the research.
EditorialAs recorded in each guide
No other editorial page in the research has made a pick here.
Appointed by Gov. Rick Scott (2019)
Bar poll
2020 Florida Bar poll: 82% for retention
No listings found in this guide.
No listings found in this guide.
Searched, nothing found
Florida Democratic Party, Hillsborough County Democratic Party, Floridians Protecting Freedom, Florida Decides Healthcare, ACLU of Florida, Equality Florida, Florida Rising, Florida AFL-CIO.
Appointed by Gov. Rick Scott (2019)
Bar poll
2020 Florida Bar poll: 82% for retention
SupportEndorsement
No listings found in this guide.
Searched, nothing found
RPOF's guide covers only the Supreme Court retention.
Judge Andrea Teves Smith appointing governor
Resolved: Rick Scott, 2019 — verify
Polling report and polling visual analysis both say Scott 2019; only the money map says DeSantis (marked "inferred"). Keep the unverified chip until confirmed on the 2nd DCA site.
Matched from the research's conflict list by contest, candidate, judge or measure name.