Manatee County, Florida

Florida House District 70

Owen and Wilkins were on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Manatee County election filings. Certified results will appear here once the election office certifies the count. Florida certifies the general election by November 17, 2026; county canvasses are due November 16. Official results: floridaelectionwatch.gov.

About this race

Michael Owen (Republican), Luther Keith Wilkins (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 70; Michael Owen is the sitting member, per the Florida House of Representatives' official roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the August 18 primary or advanced unopposed; minor-party and no-party-affiliation candidates qualify directly for the November ballot. The field is the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Michael Owen, is on the ballot.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Florida › Manatee County › Florida House District 70

Who won? The official answer comes November 17.

Florida makes results final in three steps.

✓

Done · Nov 3

Votes were cast and counted

Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.

Happening now · by Nov 16

Manatee County double-checks its count

The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.

Next · Nov 17

Florida makes it official

The Elections Canvassing Commission certifies the result. The winner appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 5, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races. Official running count: Florida official results.

Florida House District 70

No report found yet

Reports are checked daily until Florida certifies on November 17; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.

Michael Owen

RepublicanIncumbent

Top priorities

From the campaign site

Keep taxes low and oppose fee increases
Invest in roads and infrastructure to address traffic congestion in the county
Require a more stringent approval process for development to manage growth

Biography

Michael Owen is a small business owner who has lived in Hillsborough County for more than 40 years and attended Bloomingdale High School, according to his campaign site. He previously served as the Hillsborough County Commissioner for District 4, per Florida Politics.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Luther Keith Wilkins

Democratic

Top priorities

From the campaign site

Increasing teacher pay and modernizing school buildings
Expanding workforce housing supply with responsibly planned growth
Improving veterans' access to VA healthcare, mental health services and jobs

Biography

Luther Keith Wilkins served 12 years in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, including work safeguarding nuclear assets, per his campaign site. He has a background in business, real estate, marketing and insurance, and is challenging incumbent Rep. Michael Owen for a second time, per WMNF.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on the ballotFlorida House District 71

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Florida House District 70 in 2026?

2 candidates were tracked for Florida House District 70 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Michael Owen and Luther Keith Wilkins. Candidate information follows official Manatee County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Florida House District 70 election in Florida?

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Certified results will appear on this page as the election office certifies them. Florida certifies the general election by November 17, 2026; county canvasses are due November 16. Official results: https://floridaelectionwatch.gov/. Voting rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Manatee County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Who won the Florida House District 70 race?

Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; Florida certifies on November 17. We do not call races.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Manatee County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified October 15, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Florida election office, or see the full Manatee County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Manatee County ballot

12 tracked races in Manatee County, Florida. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on the November 3 ballot

Florida House District 72 Manatee County Commissioner District 1 Manatee County Commissioner District 2 See all 12 Manatee County races

Candidate profiles

Michael Owen, full profile Luther Keith Wilkins, full profile Official Florida election office