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Florida Attorney General: Why This Race Matters

April 16, 2026

Florida’s Attorney General is the state’s top law enforcement officer, charged with fighting corruption, protecting consumers, and holding the powerful accountable. That’s what makes the 2026 race between Republican James Uthmeier and Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez so extraordinary: Uthmeier, the…

Lagoon funding lags – and manatees pay the price

April 9, 2026

For the Florida Legislature to fully fund the Indian River Lagoon Protection Program in the upcoming budget session is more than a matter of state leaders fulfilling a promise; it’s a matter of life and death… for thousands of manatees.…

VoteWater endorses Jose Javier Rodriguez for Florida Attorney General

April 2, 2026

VoteWater, a South Florida clean-water advocacy group, has endorsed Jose Javier Rodriguez for Florida Attorney General. “We’re proud to endorse Jose Javier Rodriguez,” said Gil Smart, VoteWater Executive Director. “As a member of the Florida Legislature, he stood up to…

‘Dirty money’ talks: What does it say about Byron Donalds?

March 26, 2026

Florida Congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds can talk a good game about clean water. When he first ran for Congress he identified it as a top priority; he’s advocated for Everglades funding, and on his campaign website he…

Rural Florida: Pave it or save it?

March 19, 2026

The Florida Legislative session just wrapped, and what started out as the “Session of Sprawl on Steroids” ended with a bit of a whimper as some of the worst pro-development bills were either sanded down before passing or — like…

No challengers = no change

March 5, 2026

Here at VoteWater we talk a lot about electing clean-water candidates. But how can you elect them when they’re not running? There’s an abundance of candidates running for federal and high-profile state offices this election year — including 41 candidates…

The ‘dirty money’ behind ‘Blue Ribbon Projects’ paves the way for development of rural Florida

February 26, 2026

State Rep. Lauren Melo wants you to know she loves wild Florida. Growing up, the Naples Republican used to hunt quail and learned to drive a “three on the tree” gear shifter in the wide-open spaces. As she told the…

As Caloosahatchee begs for water, Big Sugar says: We got dibs

February 19, 2026

Most of Florida is in the grip of a worsening drought, and the consequences are mounting. In the greater Everglades region, nowhere is this more apparent than along the Caloosahatchee River, where low flows from Lake Okeechobee — an average…

Alligator Alcatraz: Setting a dangerous precedent?

February 12, 2026

The Everglades immigrant detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” is damaging enough in its own right, inflicting untold harms on the site and the greater Everglades ecosystem. But more damaging over the long haul may be the legal precedent being…

DEEP DIVE: 25 years on, CERP is restoring the Everglades. But will it be enough?

February 5, 2026

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan is often described as a massive effort to “get the water right.” Unfortunately, CERP isn’t going to “get the water right” right away. On Dec. 11, 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration…

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