The Ballot Brief
Pinellas County, Florida

Florida House District 61

See where Chaney and Thach stand on schools, jobs and the budget. Names follow official Pinellas 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

Linda Chaney (Republican), May Thach (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 61; Linda Chaney 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, Linda Chaney, 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 › Pinellas County › Florida House District 61

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.
2
Happening now · by Nov 16
Pinellas County double-checks its count
The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.
3
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 4, 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 61
No report found yet

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

Linda Chaney

Linda Chaney

RepublicanIncumbent

Biography

Linda Chaney's occupation is listed as marketing and business development, and she holds a University of South Florida degree in mass communications, according to the Florida House's official biography page, which also notes she previously served as a St. Pete Beach City Commissioner from 2007 to 2009. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.

May Thach

Democratic

Top priorities

From the campaign site

  • Support higher wages and stronger tenant protections
  • Support expanding Medicaid and improving transparency in health care access
  • Support higher salaries for teachers and education professionals
Biography

May Thach is the Democratic candidate for Florida House District 61, per her campaign site. Her family immigrated to the United States in 1999 and settled in St. Petersburg, per her campaign site. Thach attended the University of South Florida on the Doorways Scholarship and later served four years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia, per her campaign site.

Next on the ballotPinellas County Commissioner District 2 (At Large)

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Florida House District 61 in 2026?

2 candidates were tracked for Florida House District 61 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Linda Chaney and May Thach. Candidate information follows official Pinellas County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below. See where they stand on schools, jobs and the budget.

When is the Florida House District 61 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 Pinellas 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 61 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 Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified October 16, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Pinellas County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot
Pinellas County Commissioner District 4Pinellas County Commissioner District 6Pinellas County School Board District 3 (At Large)See all 10 Pinellas County races
Candidate profiles
Linda Chaney, full profileMay Thach, full profileOfficial Florida election office