Orange County, Florida

Florida House District 43

2 candidates are tracked for Florida House District 43 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jorge Malavet and Samuel Vilchez Santiago. Candidate information follows official Orange County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

Florida › Orange County › Florida House District 43

Jorge Malavet (Republican), Samuel Vilchez Santiago (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 43. Not on the November ballot: Johanna López, the sitting member per the 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.

Jorge Malavet

Republican

Biography

Jorge Malavet is a retired U.S. Navy Supply Corps officer who served from 1988 to 2008 and later worked in federal service, including at USCIS and DHS. He holds a law degree from Barry University and is the Republican candidate for the open Florida House District 43 seat, left by Rep. Johanna Lopez, per his campaign site.

Top Priorities

Merit-based, accessible education and workforce training
Support for families and community safety

Per the campaign site.

Per the candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-12.

Campaign site

Samuel Vilchez Santiago

Democratic

Biography

Vilchez Santiago is a senior nonprofit manager at ActBlue and chair of the Orange County Democratic Party since 2023, per the campaign site. He previously served as Florida state director for the American Business Immigration Coalition and as Florida campaign manager for All Voting Is Local, and managed Johanna López's election as the first Latina on the Orange County School Board, per the campaign site. He holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a master's in public policy from the University of Oxford, per the campaign site.

Top Priorities

Addressing rising housing costs and expanding Medicaid access
Investing in public schools and expanding technical and dual-enrollment programs
Protecting voting rights and civil rights

Per the campaign site.

Per the candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-12.

Campaign site

Questions about this race

Who is running for Florida House District 43 in 2026?

When is the Florida House District 43 election in Florida?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Orange 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.

Sources

Verify this race
Candidate roster from official Orange County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified 2026-09-12. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Florida election office, or see the full Orange County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.