Who is running for Orange County Court Judge Group 17 in 2026?

The Orange County Court Judge Group 17 race was decided at the 2026 primary - Cherish Adams won the seat - and does not appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 2 candidates were on the primary ballot: Cherish Adams and Joy K. Goodyear. Candidate information follows official Orange County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

Orange County, Florida

Orange County Court Judge Group 17

Florida › Orange County › Orange County Court Judge Group 17

Decided at the 2026 primary — Cherish Adams won the seat

DECIDED August 18: incumbent Cherish Adams won with 54 percent (86,299 votes) over Joy Goodyear, per unofficial results. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

Winner

Cherish Adams

Nonpartisan · Incumbent

Sitting Orange County Court judge (Group 17), appointed October 2023 by Gov. Ron DeSantis, per Ballotpedia; previously an Orange County prosecutor for roughly a decade handling violent crimes, sexual offenses, and homicides, per keepjudgeadams.vote and the League of Women Voters of Orange County Bench Press recap.

2026 priorities

Judicial impartiality and protecting due process, per keepjudgeadams.vote
Dignity and equal voice for everyone in her courtroom, per keepjudgeadams.vote
Communication with litigants to reduce fear and confusion, per League of Women Voters of Orange County Bench Press recap (lwvoc.org)

Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-08-19.

Reported fundraising: $141,110 (county campaign-finance filings).

Campaign site →

Also ran in the primary

Joy K. Goodyear

Nonpartisan

Profile

Assistant Public Defender for approximately 27-28 years, handling thousands of cases throughout Central Florida; Stetson Law graduate, per joy4judge2026.com and the League of Women Voters of Orange County Bench Press recap.

Reducing case backlogs through efficient case management, per joy4judge2026.com
Treating all individuals with respect and compassion while maintaining fairness, per joy4judge2026.com
Empathy - understanding each defendant's story and ensuring people understand the legal process, per League of Women Voters of Orange County Bench Press recap (lwvoc.org)

Campaign site →

Verify this race
Candidate roster from official Orange County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified 2026-08-19. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Florida Division of Elections, or see the full Orange County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.