Seminole County, Florida

Florida House District 38

Dean and Buckley were on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Seminole 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

Nik Dean (Democratic), Emily Duda Buckley (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Florida House District 38. Not on the November ballot: David Smith, 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.

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.

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 › Seminole County › Florida House District 38

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.

Happening now · by Nov 16

Seminole County double-checks its count

The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.

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 5, 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 38

No report found yet

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

Nik Dean

Democratic

Top priorities

From other published sources

Lowering everyday costs for groceries, gas, housing, healthcare and insurance, per Florida Democratic Party
Raising wages for working families, per Florida Democratic Party

Biography

Nik Dean is a lawyer and a Central Floridian of more than 20 years, per the campaign site. The site says Dean studied philosophy and political science at Tufts University, earned a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and volunteered at its Health Rights Clinic, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Emily Duda Buckley

Republican

Top priorities

From the campaign site

Cost-of-living relief
Property tax reduction
Home insurance affordability

Biography

Emily Duda Buckley is a fifth-generation Central Floridian, an adoptive mother and licensed foster parent who has worked as a Guardian Ad Litem, according to her campaign. She has also worked on the Florida House Appropriations Committee staff and as Legislative Affairs Director for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, per the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and is a Republican candidate for the open Florida House District 38 seat.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on the ballotFlorida House District 39

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Florida House District 38 in 2026?

2 candidates were tracked for Florida House District 38 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Nik Dean and Emily Duda Buckley. Candidate information follows official Seminole County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Florida House District 38 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 Seminole 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 38 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 Seminole County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified October 24, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Seminole County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot

Seminole County Commissioner District 4 Seminole County Court Judge, Group 6 Florida Senate District 10 See all 7 Seminole County races

Candidate profiles

Nik Dean, full profile Emily Duda Buckley, full profile Official Florida election office