‘Petition accomplished’: Here are the 2026 candidates who qualified for the ballot by petition – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Pexels)
Collecting voter signatures by hand requires months of work from volunteers and paid circulators alike, yet it allows candidates to bypass filing fees that can reach several thousand dollars. This route also signals early organizational strength before any votes are cast in the 2026 cycle. Florida law sets different thresholds depending on the office, with congressional hopefuls needing more than 2,500 verified signatures while local candidates often face lower bars around 1,000 or fewer.
The Two Paths to the Ballot and Their Real Costs
Candidates in Florida can pay a qualifying fee or gather petitions instead. The petition option forces campaigns to verify every signature against official voter rolls, where disqualification rates often exceed 20 percent. Those who succeed demonstrate they can build teams and reach voters directly, an advantage that carries into the general election season.
The process affects everyone from congressional challengers to city council hopefuls. It rewards persistence and local networks while exposing weaknesses in grassroots infrastructure. Campaigns that clear the threshold early gain breathing room to focus resources on voter contact rather than repeated fee payments.
Congressional Hopefuls Who Cleared the Signature Threshold
Justin Story, a retired Marine Corps officer and commercial pilot based in St. Cloud, submitted 2,577 verified petitions for Florida’s Ninth Congressional District. That total exceeded the required 2,564 signatures by a slim margin. Story, a sixth-generation Floridian and former F-18 pilot, now joins a crowded Republican primary field that includes at least six other candidates seeking to challenge Democratic incumbent Darren Soto.
George Moraitis, a Fort Lauderdale attorney and former state representative, also qualified for the Twenty-Third Congressional District. The U.S. Navy submarine veteran collected enough signatures to appear on the ballot without paying the fee. He faces a Republican primary that includes Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer and several others in the race to unseat Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz.
State House Candidates Who Chose the Petition Route
Samuel Vilchez Santiago, former chair of the Orange County Democratic Party, qualified for House District 43 in early April. The 28-year-old Princeton graduate and Venezuelan refugee gathered the necessary signatures to succeed Representative Johanna López, who endorsed him before leaving for a county commission race. He has drawn support from a majority of the Florida Democratic legislative caucus and raised more than $126,000 in the first quarter.
Frank Lago, a Miami real estate consultant and chair of the Miami-Dade Planning Advisory Board, cleared the petition requirement for House District 113. The Florida International University graduate now competes in a Republican primary that includes former county commissioner Bruno Barreiro. Lago reported raising more than $138,000 early in the cycle, the highest among his primary opponents.
Local Races Where Petitions Replaced Filing Fees
Wes Hodge, chief of staff to an Orange County commissioner, submitted 1,152 petitions in just seven days to qualify for Commission District 2. The total surpassed the 1,046-signature threshold and saved his campaign the $4,948.81 fee. Hodge seeks to succeed Commissioner Christine Moore and has received her endorsement.
Patricia Rumph became the first candidate in any Orange County commission race to qualify by petition for the new District 7 seat. The retired corrections veteran and community ambassador cleared the requirement ahead of a crowded nonpartisan field that includes Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner. Vic Torres, a former state senator, also qualified for the new District 8 seat by collecting exactly 1,046 signatures and avoiding the same fee amount.
Outside Orange County, Maria Scruggs qualified for the St. Petersburg mayoral race with 1,013 verified signatures, saving $2,801.52. Jared Leone cleared the 250-signature bar for Clearwater City Council Seat 4. Both races are scheduled for August 18.
Practical Effects on the 2026 Campaign Calendar
Early petition qualification frees candidates from one financial hurdle and lets them redirect funds toward advertising and door-to-door outreach. It also gives voters an early signal of which campaigns possess the volunteer networks needed to compete in larger fields. Several endorsed successors now enter their primaries with momentum already built through direct voter contact.
The remaining months before the 2026 filing deadline will show whether additional candidates follow the same path. Those who succeed will enter the general election phase with proven organizational capacity and preserved campaign resources.
