14 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 8 Marion County races, led by the Marion County Commissioner District 2 contest; 1 more race was decided at the primary.
Candidate roster last updated Sep 6, 2026 from official election sources. Enter your ZIP code at theballotbrief.com to see your exact 2026 ballot.
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Local Snapshot
Election DayNov. 3, 2026
StateFlorida
Races Listed9
Profiles16
Marion County Sample Ballot 2026: Races We’re Tracking
August 18 primary result: Mike Crimi won the closed Republican primary with 45 percent over Matt Cretul and Brien Weidemiller, per unofficial results, and faces only the write-in line on the November 3 ballot.
Mike Crimi · Republican▾
Medical professional and business owner with 30 years combined experience who operates one of the largest employers in south Marion County; U.S. Army veteran and former firefighter/paramedic with a master's degree from the University of Florida, per his VOTE411 profile.
Priorities: Cut waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars across county departments, per VOTE411 · Stronger enforcement of concurrency so major developments cannot proceed without transportation, utility and public-safety capacity, per Ocala Gazette candidate Q&A · Proactive, data-driven infrastructure management with a unified 5-10 year capital plan and growth paying through impact fees, per Ocala Gazette candidate Q&A
Raised $160,864 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
August 18 primary result: Jeff Bairstow won the closed Republican primary with 39 percent over Sherri Meadows, Randall Alvord and Wanda Lasher, per unofficial results, and faces only the write-in line on the November 3 ballot.
Jeff Bairstow · Republican▾
Jeff Bairstow is a 28.5-year veteran of the Ocala Police Department and business owner of 10 years; a native Marion Countian with eight generations of family roots, per his VOTE411 profile (which lists incumbency as 'No').
Priorities: 'ROADS BEFORE ROOFTOPS' - require developers to pay their fair share through full impact fees, per VOTE411 · Prioritize core services and eliminate wasteful spending, per VOTE411 · Responsible growth that pays its own way with an infrastructure-first approach, per Ocala Gazette candidate Q&A
Raised $38,006 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
August 18 result: Mike Mills (37 percent) and Brigitte Smith (31 percent) advance to a November 3 runoff, per unofficial results.
Mike Mills▾
Owner of Symmetry Coffee Company in Ocala, U.S. Navy veteran (nuclear machinist mate, 2010-2017) and adjunct business professor at the College of Central Florida with an MBA from Florida Atlantic University; past Education Foundation president, per the Ocala Gazette and VOTE411. Running for the open seat vacated by Nancy Thrower.
Priorities: Student outcomes across all pathways - students should be 'highly educated, happy and healthy,' per Ocala Gazette · Expand Career and Technical Education and trade programs, including military service as a post-graduation option, per Ocala Gazette · Audit program productivity and reallocate spending from programs without return on investment, per VOTE411
Raised $21,925 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
Registered nurse with 35 years of operating room/trauma experience, U.S. Army Nurse Corps veteran, and chairwoman of the Marion County Republican Executive Committee who serves on the county textbook review committee, per the Ocala Gazette and VOTE411. Running for the open seat vacated by Nancy Thrower. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Brigitte Smith.
Priorities: Cut wasteful spending and redirect resources to math, reading and graduation rates, per Ocala Gazette · School safety, including increased Sheriff's Office oversight and zero-tolerance discipline, per Ocala Gazette · Build a culture where teachers feel protected, heard and valued, with strategic recruitment and retention funds, per VOTE411
Raised $6,960 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
August 18 result: incumbent Sarah James (49 percent) fell short of a majority and meets Donny Barber (35 percent) in a November 3 runoff, per unofficial results.
Donald "Donny" Barber▾
City manager of Archer, Florida; chairs the Marion County Board of Adjustments and the Citra Community Center, and formerly served as Public Works & Utilities Administrator for Williston, per the Ocala Gazette and VOTE411.
Priorities: Safer schools, per Ocala Gazette and VOTE411 · Responsible finances - redirect funds from 'administrative bloat' toward teacher compensation, per VOTE411 · Improved student performance with fundamentals, career pathways and accountability, per VOTE411
Raised $7,847 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
Sarah James is the incumbent school board member (four years) and current board chair; former teacher and school administrator with a doctorate in educational leadership who owns two preschools generating about $1.5 million annually, per the Ocala Gazette and VOTE411.
Priorities: Recruiting and retaining staff, including fixing pay compression for experienced teachers, per Ocala Gazette and VOTE411 · Student-centered budgeting and planning for district growth, per Ocala Gazette · Expanding vocational opportunities, per Ocala Gazette
Raised $41,100 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
November-only race: this Soil and Water Conservation District seat was not on the August 18 primary ballot (it is absent from the Supervisor of Elections' official primary results) and is decided at the November 3, 2026 general election.
Deborah A. Edwards▾
Deborah A. Edwards appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Marion Soil and Water Conservation District 5, per the Supervisor of Elections' official qualified-candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 6, 2026.
Vivi Serena appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Marion Soil and Water Conservation District 5, per the Supervisor of Elections' official qualified-candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 6, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Vivi Serena.
Lee Butler (Democratic), Judson Sapp (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 20; Judson Sapp 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.
Lee Butler · Democratic▾
Lee Butler is the Democratic candidate for Florida House District 20 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.
Judson Sapp is the Republican incumbent representing Florida House District 20, first elected in 2024, according to the Florida House of Representatives. He works as chief executive officer of a railroad construction company. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.
Mark Leland Baker (Democratic), J.J. Grow (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 23; J.J. Grow 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.
Mark Leland Baker · Democratic▾
Mark Baker is a small business owner who runs a sign shop in Crystal River and has long lived in District 23, according to his campaign site, which also notes he leads a nonpartisan civic group. He is the Democratic candidate for Florida House District 23, which covers Citrus County and part of Marion County.
Priorities: Making housing more affordable and reducing insurance and transportation costs · Expanding access to affordable healthcare and addressing prescription drug prices · Championing fully funded public education and fair teacher compensation (per the campaign site)
J.J. Grow is the Republican candidate for Florida House District 23 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Florida Division of Elections' certified 2026 General Election candidate list. J.J. Grow is a sitting member for the district, per the Florida House of Representatives' official roster. J.J. Grow works in agribusiness, according to the Florida House's official member page. He was first elected to the Florida House in 2024, succeeding term-limited Rep. Ralph Massullo, per Click Orlando. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.
Andy Ferrari (Democratic), Richard Gentry (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 27; Richard Gentry 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.
Andy Ferrari · Democratic▾
Andy Ferrari is the Democratic candidate for Florida House District 27 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, according to the Florida Division of Elections certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 11, 2026.
Richard Gentry is the Republican incumbent representing Florida House District 27, first elected in 2024, according to the Florida House of Representatives. He previously worked as an advocate before the Public Service Commission on housing and growth management policy and holds degrees from the University of Miami, according to his campaign website.
Priorities: Lowering home insurance premiums · Local control over growth management · Transportation infrastructure investment (per the campaign site)
DECIDED August 18: incumbent Eric Cummings was reelected outright with 56 percent over Steve Swett, per unofficial results. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.
These race previews show candidates we’re tracking now. A ZIP code shows your statewide and congressional races; a street address adds county and city contests. Local races are address-specific. This guide previews tracked contests, while the lookup tool narrows the list to a voter’s exact address. Tap any name to see the race, full candidate profiles, and everything else on your exact ballot.
Sample ballot by ZIP code in Marion County
Each ZIP page previews the statewide and congressional races for that ZIP; add a street address in the lookup for county and city contests.
Note: Use address lookup for your exact ballot; local pages preview tracked races.Profiles: Hand-verified profiles are added race by race; always confirm with the official election office linked above.
