Florida News Roundup: Early Voting Winds Down Ahead of Tuesday Primary, SpaceX Back-to-Back Launches and More

Published Aug 16, 2026 · Community · Red Rock Daily staff

Here’s a roundup of recent Florida news: early voting is wrapping up ahead of Tuesday’s Aug. 18 primary, when voters will pick party nominees for governor and other offices; a Democratic socialist-backed campaign has drawn national attention in the race’s final days; SpaceX launched back-to-back Falcon 9 rockets just 38 minutes apart, including a Globalstar mission from Florida’s Space Coast; Attorney General Uthmeier rewrote the ballot summary for a proposed property tax cut amendment; the back-to-school sales tax holiday is entering its final stretch; and new data shows more than 200,000 people moved into Florida.

Early voting wraps up ahead of Tuesday’s primary

Early voting is wrapping up across Florida this weekend ahead of the state’s Aug. 18 primary, when voters will decide the party nominees in the governor’s race and other contests. (WCTV, CBS News, ABC7 WWSB, WPBF, Treasure Coast News, Miami Herald, Aug. 13-15, 2026) News outlets have published county-by-county guides and key races to watch across South Florida and Central Florida, and election officials reminded voters of what they need to know before Election Day on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

Democratic socialist campaign draws national attention

A Democratic Socialists of America-backed campaign in Florida’s primary has become a focus of national coverage in the race’s final days, with The Hill describing the contest as marking the DSA’s “last stand” and The Guardian asking whether the state is ready for a democratic socialist. (The Hill, The Guardian, Aug. 15-16, 2026) The attention underscores how closely the Aug. 18 results are being watched beyond Florida.

SpaceX launches record back-to-back Falcon 9 flights

SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets just 38 minutes apart early Sunday in a record-breaking back-to-back turnaround, including a Globalstar mission that lifted off from Florida’s Space Coast and a U.S. Space Force mission, with sonic booms reported as boosters returned to land at the launch site. (Spaceflight Now, Space.com, Florida Today, WESH, Aug. 16, 2026) The Globalstar flight delivered a batch of satellites for the company, and observers across the Space Coast reported hearing the booster’s signature sonic booms during landing.

Attorney General Uthmeier rewrites property tax amendment ballot summary

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier rewrote the official ballot summary for the proposed property tax cut amendment, and the new language voters will see has now been released. (NBC 6 South Florida, WKMG, Aug. 15-16, 2026) The rewrite affects how the tax-related constitutional amendment will be described to voters, with the updated summary drawing attention as the election approaches.

Back-to-school sales tax holiday enters final stretch

Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday is in its final stretch, and shoppers are being reminded of when the tax-free shopping period ends. (WTSP, Aug. 14-15, 2026) The holiday lets families buy eligible items without paying Florida’s sales tax, and retailers have been promoting the remaining days of tax-free shopping.

More than 200,000 people moved into Florida

New data shows more than 200,000 people moved into Florida, and longtime residents have a message for the newcomers as the state’s population continues to grow. (Florida Today, Aug. 16, 2026) The influx continues a years-long trend of Florida ranking among the fastest-growing states in the country.

For more on the Sunshine State, see the Florida guide.