Polk County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

DECIDED August 18: Rick Wilson won this universal primary, open to all voters, 51.1 percent (43,733 votes) to Kelly Quinn's 48.9 percent (41,850), per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results; the primary decided the seat.

• Rick Wilson · RepublicanIncumbent▾

  Rick Wilson is the incumbent District 2 commissioner, a lifelong Bartow resident who works in cattle and agriculture, with eight years on the commission and an endorsement from Sheriff Grady Judd, per LkldNow's race coverage.

  Priorities: Public safety as priority one, per LkldNow's race coverage · Maintaining county services, per LkldNow's race coverage

  Raised $44,460.81 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• Kelly Quinn · Republican▾

  Kelly Quinn is a third-generation Polk County resident, artist, and small business owner with a fine arts degree from the University of Florida, per LkldNow's race coverage.

  Priorities: Protect drinking water, per LkldNow's race coverage · Preserve agriculture and rural areas, per LkldNow's race coverage · Oppose new hyperscale data centers without protective standards, per LkldNow's race coverage

  Campaign site →

This race was not on the August 18 ballot: with only a qualified write-in opposing him, Omar Arroyo appears on the November 3 ballot against a write-in line, per the Supervisor of Elections.

• Omar Arroyo · Republican▾

  Omar Arroyo is a general contractor who built his own construction company and served as Haines City commissioner, vice mayor, and mayor, the city's first Hispanic mayor, per Daily Ridge coverage. His campaign reports the largest fundraising total in the race, per filed reports.

  Priorities: Public safety and support for law enforcement, per his campaign site · Economic development, job creation, and lower taxes, per his campaign site · Infrastructure investment and affordable housing, per his campaign site

  Raised $99,245 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →
• Elisha Gresham · Write-In▾

  Elisha Gresham has filed as a write-in in Polk County Commission District 4, per Supervisor of Elections filings. Write-in names are not printed on Florida ballots; voters write the name in the space provided.

  Raised $70 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

August 18 result: no candidate won a majority, so Kate Wallace (45.1 percent, 39,265 votes) and Victor Sims (35.8 percent, 31,212) advance to a November 3 runoff, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results.

• Victor Sims▾

  Victor Sims is a senior program officer, Polk County native, and former foster youth who has worked with children throughout his career, leading the nonprofit Guiding Hope, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea questionnaire.

  Priorities: Access to quality education, per LkldNow's race coverage · Backing educators and teacher retention, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea · Transparent data on student progress, per The Citrus Tea questionnaire

  Raised $15,862.48 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →
• Kate WallaceIncumbent▾

  Kate Wallace is director of state government affairs for Spectrum, a Bartow native and Polk public schools graduate appointed to this seat by Gov. DeSantis in November 2025, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea questionnaire.

  Priorities: Raising student academic achievement, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea · Modernizing teacher compensation to recruit and retain educators, per LkldNow's race coverage · Parental visibility into curriculum, per The Citrus Tea questionnaire

  Campaign site →

DECIDED August 18: incumbent Kay Fields won outright with 57.3 percent (50,007 votes) over Sam Neelam, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

• Kay FieldsIncumbent▾

  Kay Fields is president and CEO of Girls Inc. of Lakeland and the incumbent, serving on the board since 2002; if reelected this would be her final term under Florida's term-limit law, per LkldNow's race coverage.

  Priorities: Strengthening academic achievement, per LkldNow's race coverage · Supporting teachers and staff, per LkldNow's race coverage · Ensuring safe schools, per LkldNow's race coverage
• Sam Neelam▾

  Sam Neelam is a technology entrepreneur with a master's in computer science and math, a founder of technology and real estate companies, and a Florida Polytechnic University trustee, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea questionnaire.

  Priorities: Centering student needs, per LkldNow's race coverage · Prioritizing parental involvement, per LkldNow's race coverage · Accountability on student growth and teacher compensation, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea

  Raised $31,416 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →

DECIDED August 18: Justin Sharpless won outright with 67.4 percent (57,754 votes) over Kasen Hampton, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

• Kasen Hampton▾

  Kasen Hampton is a 19-year-old Polk State College student from Lake Wales majoring in public administration, per The Ledger's race coverage.

  Priorities: Teacher compensation and literacy program funding, per The Ledger's race coverage · Student safety and mental health, per The Ledger's race coverage · Youth representation in board leadership, per The Ledger's race coverage

  Raised $14.25 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →
• Justin SharplessIncumbent▾

  Justin Sharpless is a professor and department chair at Warner University, a former middle and high school educator, and the incumbent board chair seeking a second term, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea questionnaire.

  Priorities: Moving the district's grade from B toward A, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea · Teacher raises and recruitment, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea · Maintaining safe schools, per LkldNow's race coverage

  Raised $20,825 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →

Lisa Miller drew no opponent, so under Florida law she is deemed elected and this race will NOT appear on your August 18, 2026 ballot, per LkldNow's coverage of her unopposed reelection.

• Lisa MillerIncumbent▾

  Lisa Miller is district development manager for Junior Achievement of Polk County, a former classroom teacher and disability advocate, and the District 7 incumbent since 2018; she was reelected without opposition to a third and final term, per LkldNow and her campaign site.

  Priorities: Higher paraprofessional and support staff pay, per her campaign site · Expanding career academies for college and career readiness, per her campaign site · Community partnerships supporting students and staff, per her campaign site

  Campaign site →