Florida Announces Dates for Special Election to Fill Vacancy in Congress Left by Gaetz
‘This special election will be faster than we have ever done before,’ Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd said.
Voters in Florida’s First Congressional District will elect their replacement for former Rep. Matt Gaetz on April 1, 2025.
Florida’s Secretary of State Cord Byrd released the multi-month schedule of events on Nov. 22, touting it as the fastest election to refill a vacant congressional seat.
Congressional candidates have until noon on Dec. 6 to qualify for a spot on the ballot, according to the schedule.
Vote-by-mail ballots will then be sent to voters out of state or overseas on Dec. 14 and then to domestic voters on Dec. 19.
A primary election is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2025, with an early voting period offered from Jan. 18 to Jan. 25.
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The primary will be certified by Feb. 11, and mail-in ballots will begin distribution on Feb. 15.
Early voting for the general special election is scheduled for March 22 to March 29.
This election will be exclusive to the voters of Florida’s First Congressional District, which represents Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties and a portion of Walton County. This includes the city of Pensacola.
The 119th Congress is scheduled to be sworn in on Jan. 3, 2025.
Several potential candidates have already declared their intention to take the seat in the House of Representatives.
On the Republican side, they include veteran and Florida state Rep. Michelle Salzman; John Frankman, a former Green Beret and captain in the special forces and one of the thousands of service members pulled from the armed forces for declining to take the COVID-19 vaccine; and army veteran, pilot, and venture capitalist Keith Gross.
On the Democrat side, Gay Valimont is making another attempt to secure Gaetz’s seat despite losing the Nov. 5 election by more than 30 percent of the vote.
“After Matt Gaetz resigned just days after voters entrusted him with their representation, it’s clear: our district deserves better,” her campaign stated on X.
“Gay is ready to bring accountability, integrity, and real solutions to Congress—and she’s here to stay and fight for you.”
Gaetz declared his intention not to take the oath of office when he submitted his resignation to Congress to pursue President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination for attorney general.
However, Gaetz chose to call off his bid for the Cabinet position and later stated that he still intended not to serve in the next Congress.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
