Who is pushing on your ballot
Every contest on Hillsborough ballot style 40300 (precinct 403), with the people, PACs and industries backing or opposing each side. Gold lines carry money and the dots move at a rate set by the dollar amount. Click or tab to any name to trace its connections; the board below the map explains each one.
Your ballot, contest by contest
The 19 stops follow the printed order of ballot 40300. Each stop lists the candidates’ records and plans, how they line up with President Trump, who backs and opposes them, the money, the Tampa Bay Times reasoning on both sides, and how the race lines up with progressive priorities.
The money, drawn to scale
One square is $1 million. The squares fill at the same speed in every row, so a bigger pile takes longer to finish. Labels say whether a figure is money raised, cash on hand or projected spending, because those are not the same thing.
Tampa Bay Times picks, side by side
In 2026 the Times picks come from two named people, Chairman and CEO Conan Gallaty and Viewpoints Editor Graham Brink, rather than a full editorial board. Where they agree the cell spans both columns; shaded rows are splits. The reasoning for each pick, including what the Times said about the other side, is in the ballot walk-through above.
Elsewhere on the Hillsborough ballot
These contests appear on other ballot styles in the county, not on 40300. They are summarized here so the whole county ballot is covered.
Limits and sources
- Several Times recommendation texts could be read only in excerpts. No Times pick was found for Attorney General, CFO, Agriculture Commissioner, the Legislature or the judges; that absence is likely but not confirmed.
- Finance and industry data were not verified for the state House, State Senate 20, the County Commission, the School Board, the appeals judges and U.S. House 12 and 15. Pre-election reports due before Nov. 3 will update every figure here.
- Governor finance runs through Sept. 25, congressional finance through the Q3 FEC reports (Sept. 30), Amendment 3 committees through early October.
- Party registration was not verified for Karen Perez, Ken Gay, the Temple Terrace candidates or the development-district candidates. Appointing governors for the appeals judges are inferred from appointment years.
- The Florida Bar stopped its judicial retention poll in 2023, so there is no 2026 Bar poll.