TUESDAY PRIMARIES PUT FLORIDA, ALASKA AND WYOMING INTO MIDTERM FOCUS

Developing story: Candidate status, early-vote totals, poll-closing procedures and result timing may change as election officials and AP update Tuesday’s primary guidance.

Tuesday’s state primaries in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming will put several major midterm themes on display at once: early and mail voting, closed and top-four primary systems, Trump endorsements, redistricting and contests for open statewide seats. Associated Press decision notes published Monday outlined the rules, candidates and vote-reporting patterns that will shape the next round of election-night interpretation.

Florida will draw the widest national attention because it includes primaries for governor, U.S. Senate and multiple U.S. House seats under a new congressional map. AP reported that polls close at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET depending on the county, and that about 663,000 Republican ballots and 610,000 Democratic ballots had already been cast as of Friday.

The Florida early-vote figures matter because a large share of the state’s primary vote is normally cast before Election Day. AP reported that in the 2024 U.S. Senate primaries, about 63 percent of the Republican primary vote and 77 percent of the Democratic primary vote was cast early in person or by mail. That means initial result releases can heavily shape public perception before Election Day ballots are fully integrated.

Florida’s contests also test party direction. Republican Sen. Ashley Moody faces minimal opposition after being appointed to the seat once held by Marco Rubio, while Democrats are choosing a nominee to challenge her in November. In House races, redistricting changed several districts and set up new fights, including former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s comeback bid against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in a redrawn South Florida district.

Alaska offers a different voting model. AP reported that voters will use the state’s top-four primary format, with ranked-choice voting in November. The state will choose candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, state legislative races and a ballot measure that would restore contribution limits for state and local campaigns after a 2021 federal court ruling lifted them.

Wyoming highlights Trump’s influence inside a heavily Republican state. AP reported that U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, who defeated Liz Cheney in 2022 with Trump’s support, is running for Senate with Trump’s endorsement. The state also has crowded open-seat races for governor and U.S. House, giving Republican primary voters significant power in a state where GOP nominees are usually favored in November.

The election-administration stakes are practical. Different poll-closing times, early-vote releases, absentee counts and party rules can produce misleading impressions if partial results are treated as final trends. That matters in a midterm environment already marked by disputes over mail ballots, late-counted urban results and public trust in vote reporting.

What is confirmed is that Florida, Alaska and Wyoming hold important primaries Tuesday and that AP has identified early voting, ballot structure and party rules as central to how results will be reported. What remains unresolved is whether the races produce clear party signals or another round of contested interpretations before November.

Fact-check date: August 17, 2026. Article type: News. Sources: Associated Press. Developing note: Candidate status, early-vote totals, poll-closing procedures and result timing may change as election officials and AP update Tuesday’s primary guidance.