Voters Head to Polls in Florida Senate District 11 Special Election

Voters across Hernando County and neighboring jurisdictions are preparing to decide the Florida Senate District 11 special election on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. The election pits Republican Ralph Massullo Jr. against Democrat Ash Marwah for a seat left vacant after Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Blaise Ingoglia to another state position. The district covers Hernando, Sumter, Citrus and a small section of northwest Pasco County, making this contest consequential for a broad cross section of the Gulf Coast region.

Control of this seat will determine who represents local interests in Tallahassee on issues ranging from infrastructure and water management to healthcare and local government funding. While neither campaign statement nor policy specifics are included in this report, the replacement of an appointed incumbent with an elected senator will shift accountability to voters and shape how the district’s priorities are advanced in the legislative session that follows.

Special elections traditionally draw smaller electorates than regular elections, which can magnify the influence of organized voting blocs and local turnout efforts. For Hernando County, that dynamic increases the importance of civic engagement in a contest that could affect state appropriations and regulatory decisions impacting roads, schools and environmental protections. Local officials and community organizations have cited the need for clear representation in the state Senate as municipal budgets and development plans move forward into the new year.

The vacancy was created by an executive appointment, a common constitutional mechanism that ensures continuous staffing of state government but that also triggers the need for an off cycle election. That process creates additional urgency for voters who will determine whether the district is served by a majority party colleague or by a senator from the opposing party, with consequences for committee assignments and legislative priorities.

Residents should confirm their polling locations and hours before heading to the polls and plan to participate in the special election. The outcome will set who speaks for Hernando County in the state Senate and will influence how local concerns are represented during the upcoming legislative session.