Glossary

52 terms used across the ballot, guides and analysis pages, A to Z. Definitions are general civic explanations; ballot-specific facts inside them repeat claims sourced elsewhere in the research.

Search terms and definitionsRelated contest

52 of 52 terms

#

60% thresholdDefinition#

Votes needed to amend Florida's constitution

Since 2006, a constitutional amendment passes only with at least 60% Yes of those voting on it. County referendums on this ballot need a simple majority.

also: sixty percent, supermajority

A

Ad valorem taxDefinition#

Tax based on assessed property value

A tax levied as a percentage (millage) of a property's assessed value — Florida's property taxes for counties, cities, schools and special districts.

also: property tax, millage

Sources: Revenue Estimating Conference ad valorem impact, July 10, 2026 (Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research)

Agricultural classification (greenbelt)Definition#

Farmland taxed on use value, not market value

Land classified as agricultural is assessed on what it is worth as farmland rather than its development value — context critics cite against Amendment 2.

also: greenbelt, agricultural use value

AgritourismDefinition#

Farm-based visitor activities

Activities on a working farm that attract visitors (u-pick, farm tours, events), as defined in Fla. Stat. 570.86; Amendment 2 extends the exemption to property used for them.

Sources: Fla. Stat. 570.86, agritourism definitions (Online Sunshine (Florida Legislature))

Appointed incumbentDefinition#

Holds the office by appointment, not election

Moody (U.S. Senate), Uthmeier (Attorney General) and Ingoglia (CFO) were appointed by Gov. DeSantis in 2025 and are on the ballot for the first time in those offices.

also: appointee

Appointed vs. elected superintendentDefinition#

Who runs the school district

Hillsborough's School Board hires its superintendent (since a 1966 referendum). Referendum 1 would make it a partisan elected office starting in 2028.

also: superintendent

B

Ballot summaryDefinition#

The official wording voters read

The title and summary printed on the ballot. Florida law (Fla. Stat. 101.161) requires it be clear and not misleading; a court struck the Legislature's Amendment 3 wording and the Attorney General rewrote it on Aug. 13, 2026.

also: ballot title, ballot language

Sources: Fla. Stat. 101.161, ballot statements (Online Sunshine (Florida Legislature))

Budget Stabilization FundDefinition#

Florida's constitutional rainy-day fund

A reserve the Legislature can draw on for emergencies or revenue shortfalls. Capped at 10% of general revenue today; Amendment 1 would raise the cap to 25% and require yearly transfers of up to $750 million.

also: rainy-day fund, BSF

Related contests: Amendment 1: Budget Stabilization Fund

Sources: Florida TaxWatch, 2026 amendments guide (Florida TaxWatch)

C

Cash on handDefinition#

Money a campaign has left to spend

A different number from money raised; the money pages label which one each figure is.

also: COH

Community Investment Tax (CIT)Definition#

Hillsborough's half-cent infrastructure sales tax

A voter-approved county sales tax for capital projects; part of the Rays stadium financing debate.

also: CIT

County charterDefinition#

Hillsborough's local constitution

The voter-approved document that sets up county government; Referendum 2 amends it.

also: charter amendment

Countywide (at-large) seatDefinition#

A seat every voter in the county votes on

Commission Districts 5 and 7 and School Board District 6 on this ballot are countywide even though they have district numbers.

also: at-large, countywide

D

DCCC FrontlineDefinition#

House Democrats' program for vulnerable incumbents

Extra fundraising and campaign support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; Kathy Castor is in it.

also: Frontline

Direct contributionDefinition#

Money given straight to a campaign

Subject to contribution limits; reported by the campaign (FEC for federal, Division of Elections or SOE for state and local).

also: contribution

Sources: FEC: Castor for Congress pre-general report (through Oct. 14) (Federal Election Commission)

Discretionary sales surtaxDefinition#

An extra local sales tax for a set purpose

A local add-on to Florida's 6% sales tax, approved by voters. Referendum 3 renews the half-cent school capital surtax for 2029–2038; groceries and prescriptions are exempt.

also: half-cent tax, surtax, Half-Penny

Sources: Half-Penny Promise (Half-Penny Promise campaign)

District Court of Appeal (2nd DCA)Definition#

Florida's intermediate appeals court for this region

The 2nd DCA hears appeals from trial courts in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk and other counties. Four of its judges are on this ballot.

also: 2nd DCA, DCA

E

Editorial recommendationDefinition#

A newspaper's opinion pick

Opinion, not reporting. In 2026 the Tampa Bay Times picks are signed by Conan Gallaty and Graham Brink rather than a full editorial board; they split on Commission 5 and 7.

also: Times pick, editorial

Sources: Florida audubon amendment property tax cuts (Tampa Bay Times)

EndorsementDefinition#

A group's own stated support or opposition

Shown as the group's position, never as a fact about the candidate. Tagged direct (confirmed on the group's site or in reputable news) or aggregator (seen only on a list or the candidate's site).

also: endorses

F

Financial Impact Estimating Conference (FIEC)Definition#

Cost review for citizen initiatives

Reviews citizen-initiative amendments and writes the financial impact statement printed with them. It did not review this year's amendments because all three came from the Legislature.

also: FIEC

Florida Bar retention pollDefinition#

Former survey of lawyers on judges

The Bar's poll asking member lawyers whether judges should be retained. It was discontinued in 2023, so there is no 2026 poll; 2020/2014 figures are the latest.

also: Bar poll

Related contests: Retain Carlos G. Muñiz

Sources: The Florida Bar News: Justice Muñiz and DCA judges stand for retention (The Florida Bar News)

G

General revenueDefinition#

The state's main unrestricted operating fund

Florida's largest pot of money for state operations, mostly from sales tax; the Budget Stabilization Fund cap is set as a percentage of it.

also: GR

Related contests: Amendment 1: Budget Stabilization Fund

H

Homestead exemptionDefinition#

Property-tax discount on your primary Florida residence

A reduction in the taxable value of a home that is the owner's permanent Florida residence. Today most homesteads get up to $50,000 off; Amendment 3 would raise the exemption from non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028.

also: homestead

Sources: Property tax reform (Hillsborough County Tax Collector); Florida property tax amendment ballot language summary (Florida Policy Institute)

I

Independent expenditure (IE)Definition#

Spending for or against a candidate without coordinating

Money spent by an outside group on ads or mail that expressly supports or opposes a candidate, without coordination; reported on FEC Schedule E for federal races. No Schedule E data was retrieved for this ballot (a known gap).

also: IE, Schedule E, outside spending

Indigent health care programDefinition#

Hillsborough's health plan for low-income residents

Funded by a county sales tax; a state DOGE report recommended ending it. Commission candidates split on keeping it.

also: Hillsborough HealthCare Plan

J

Joint resolution (HJR / SJR)Definition#

How the Legislature puts an amendment on the ballot

A resolution passed by three-fifths of each chamber that proposes a constitutional amendment and its ballot title and summary. All three 2026 amendments are legislative joint resolutions (HJR 5019, HJR 1215, CS/HJR 1-F), not citizen initiatives.

also: HJR, SJR, CS/HJR

Sources: Constitutional Amendments (Initiatives and Legislative Joint Resolutions) (Florida Division of Elections)

JQCDefinition#

Judicial Qualifications Commission

The state body that investigates judicial misconduct. No JQC actions were found for these judges.

also: Judicial Qualifications Commission

L

Likely voters (LV) / registered voters (RV)Definition#

Who a poll surveyed

LV polls screen for people expected to vote; RV polls include all registered voters. LV results are usually more predictive close to an election.

also: LV, RV

Local billDefinition#

A state law that applies to one county

Legislation that affects a single local government, usually sponsored by the county's delegation. Referendums 1 and 2 began as local bills HB 4027 and HB 4029 by Rep. Michael Owen.

also: HB 4027, HB 4029

LPFDefinition#

Libertarian Party of Florida

Florida's Libertarian Party; Brian Lambert (FL-14) and the Jewett/Skelly governor ticket run on its line.

also: Libertarian

M

Margin of error (MoE)Definition#

Sampling uncertainty in a poll

The range within which the true value likely falls (usually 95% confidence). A 2-point lead with a ±4 MoE is a statistical tie; the margin between two candidates is roughly twice as uncertain as each share.

also: MoE, ±

Merit retentionDefinition#

Yes/No vote to keep an appellate judge

Florida Supreme Court justices and District Court of Appeal judges are appointed by the governor and then face Yes/No retention votes; a judge stays unless a majority votes No. No Florida appellate judge has been removed this way.

also: retention

Sources: The Florida Bar News: Justice Muñiz and DCA judges stand for retention (The Florida Bar News)

Mid-decade redistrictingDefinition#

Redrawing districts between censuses

Florida redrew its congressional map in 2025–26; FL-14 moved from a Biden-won seat to roughly Trump +10.5–11. Justice Muñiz wrote the opinion upholding the map.

also: redistricting, gerrymander

N

Non-homestead assessment capDefinition#

Yearly limit on taxable-value increases for second homes, rentals and businesses

Florida limits how fast the assessed value of non-homestead property can rise each year (currently 10%). Amendment 3 would lower that cap to 5%.

also: 10% cap, 5% cap, assessment cap

Sources: Florida Amendment 3: homestead property tax exemption (Tax Foundation)

Non-school taxesDefinition#

Property taxes that do not fund public schools

County, city and special-district levies. Amendment 3's larger exemption applies only to these; school district levies keep the current exemption.

Nonpartisan raceDefinition#

No party label on the ballot

School Board races are nonpartisan; candidates may still be registered with a party, and party organizations may endorse.

also: nonpartisan

Related contests: School Board Member — District 6

NPADefinition#

No Party Affiliation

A candidate or voter registered without a party. Five governor tickets and Senate candidate Neil Gillespie are NPA.

also: No Party Affiliation, independent

P

Political committee (PC)Definition#

Florida's vehicle for unlimited outside money

A Florida committee that can raise unlimited contributions and spend for or against candidates or issues. Candidates often control one alongside their capped campaign account (e.g., Friends of Josie Tomkow, Hillsborough Together).

also: PC, political committee

Polling averageDefinition#

Combined estimate across recent polls

Aggregators like RealClearPolling average recent polls to reduce single-poll noise; methods differ by aggregator.

also: RCP average

Sources: 2026 Florida Governor: Donalds vs. Jolly (RealClearPolling)

Prediction marketDefinition#

Betting-market probability

Platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi price contracts on outcomes; prices are traders' probabilities, not polls or results.

also: Polymarket, Kalshi

Sources: FL-14 House race winner market (Kalshi)

Public matching fundsDefinition#

Florida's partial public financing for statewide candidates

Statewide candidates who accept spending limits get state matches on small contributions; David Jolly receives them.

also: matching funds

Related contests: Governor and Lieutenant Governor

R

Race ratingDefinition#

A forecaster's lean call

Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball and Inside Elections rate races Solid / Likely / Lean / Tilt / Toss Up. FL-14 is Toss Up (Cook, Sabato) or Tilt R (Inside Elections).

also: Toss Up, Lean R, Likely R, Solid R

Reliability scoreDefinition#

The polling page's 0–7 poll rating

A project-built score from sponsor, sample size, published MoE and likely-voter screening, mapped to High/Medium/Low. Not an official rating.

also: poll reliability

Revenue Estimating Conference (REC)Definition#

State economists' official cost estimates

A panel of legislative and executive economists that estimates the revenue effect of tax changes. Its July 2026 estimate is the primary source for Amendment 3's local revenue loss.

also: REC, EDR

Sources: Revenue Estimating Conference ad valorem impact, July 10, 2026 (Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research)

S

Save Our Homes capDefinition#

3% yearly limit on homestead assessment increases

The existing constitutional limit that keeps a homestead's assessed value from rising more than 3% (or CPI, if lower) per year, regardless of market value.

also: Save Our Homes

Single-member districtDefinition#

A seat elected only by voters who live in that district

Referendum 2 would make all County Commission seats single-member districts, ending the three countywide seats every voter now helps choose.

also: district seat

Slate cardDefinition#

A party's printed list of endorsed choices

The Hillsborough County Republican Party's 2026 slate card covers all 23 contests on this ballot, including the judges and referendums.

also: slate

Sources: General election candidates — Hillsborough County Republican Party (Hillsborough County Republican Party)

Source quality: direct vs. aggregatorDefinition#

How an endorsement was verified

Direct = confirmed on the group's own page or in reputable news. Aggregator = seen only on Blue Voter Guide, Ballotpedia or the candidate's own list.

also: direct, aggregator

Sources: Hillsborough County Public Schools Board of Education District 2 (Blue Voter Guide)

Special electionDefinition#

An election to fill a vacancy mid-term

The U.S. Senate race fills the rest of Marco Rubio's term; State Senate 14 had a special election in March 2026 that Brian Nathan won by 409 votes.

Sources: Senate District 14 special election official results (Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections)

T

Tangible personal property (TPP)Definition#

Equipment and movable business property

Physical property other than land and buildings — tractors, irrigation systems, machinery. Florida already exempts the first $25,000; Amendment 2 would fully exempt TPP on agricultural land used for farming or agritourism.

also: TPP

Sources: HJR 1215 (2025) final bill analysis (Florida Legislature)

W

Write-inDefinition#

A blank line for a qualified write-in candidate

Only votes for candidates who qualified as write-ins count. FL-14, Governor and Agriculture Commissioner have write-in lines.