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 for Florida Governor, and 151 candidates chasing 28 Congressional seats.

At the state legislative level it’s a different story.

In 4 of the 9 Florida Senate races we’re tracking, the incumbent so far has no challenger — neither in the August primary, nor in the November general election.

And in the 44 Florida House races we’re tracking, more than half the incumbents — 24 — currently have no opposition.

Last week we told you about Sen. Lauren Melo, a Republican who sponsored HB 299, “Blue Ribbon Projects,” a terrible bill which will open up huge swaths of rural Florida to development. She’s also taken lots of money from Big Sugar and other polluting special interests.

If on this basis you wanted to vote against Melo — you may not be able to. There’s currently no one running against her.

Other incumbent Senators we’re tracking who are running unopposed (so far) include Sens. Rosalind Osgood (D-32); Shevrin Jones (R-34) and Ileana Garcia (R-36). 

In the House, Rep. David Borrero, whom we also told you about last week is the sponsor of HB 399 which could undermine the Urban Development Boundary in Miami-Dade and other counties. Why would Borrero back more development in environmentally sensitive areas? Vote against him!

That is, if you can — right now he has no opposition.

Other incumbent House members running unopposed (so far) are: Reps. Mike Giallombardo (R-79); Adam Botana (R-80); Yvette Benarroch (R-81); Dana Trabulsy (R-84); John Snyder (R-86); Debra Tendrich (D-89); Rob Long (D-90); Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R-91); Kelly Skidmore (D-92); Dan Daley (D-96); Lisa Dunkley (D-97); Daryl Campbell (D-99); Felicia Robinson (D-104); Marie Paule Woodson (D-105); Ashley Gantt (D-109); Tom Fabricio (R-110); Alex Rizo (R-112); Demi Busatta (R-114); Omar Blanco (R-115); Ashley Perez-Biliskov (R-116); Kevin Chambliss (D-117); Michael Redondo (R-118); and Juan Porras (R-119).

To be sure, this isn’t the case in every district; in some, where the incumbent is terming out, there’s robust competition. That’s as it should be.

And the qualifying deadline to run in 2026 isn’t until June 12 (April 24 for U.S. Senate, State Attorney, Public Defender and judicial offices). Much could change between now and then. There’s still time for challengers to step up, and we expect some will — at least we hope so. Because without real competition on the ballot, voters — and our waterways — are stuck with the same old dirty-water status quo.

You can always write in a candidate as a protest vote; but that’s all it will be (and it still may be a better option than voting for dirty-water candidates).

Bottom line, we need people to run for office, to give voters a choice. Because with so many “safe” seats, there’s no impetus for change; what you see is what you’re going to get.

And what we’re going to “get” is dirtier water — and more problems.