With special elections scheduled June 18, Republicans have an edge in voter registration in Pasco County’s House District 38, while more Democrats are registered in North Florida’s House District 7, according to newly released totals.
The District 38 seat opened early this year when former Rep. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, was appointed executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs. With registration closing May 20 for the special election, the district had 44,811 registered Republicans, 37,936 registered Democrats and 32,914 voters registered without party affiliation, according to the totals posted on the state Division of Elections website. Dade City Republican Randy Maggard and Wesley Chapel Democrat Kelly Smith are running in the special election.
The District 7 seat, meanwhile, became open when former Rep. Halsey Beshears, R-Monticello, was appointed secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The largely rural district is made up of Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson, Lafayette, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla and part of Leon counties.
Though the Republican Beshears held the seat from 2012 until early this year, the district has more registered Democrats than Republicans. As of the May 20 deadline, it had 46,519 registered Democrats, 37,347 registered Republicans and 12,502 voters without party affiliation. Port St. Joe Republican Jason Shoaf and Tallahassee Democrat Ryan Terrell are running to replace Beshears.
