125,000 Collier County Voters Are in a Brand New Congressional District. The Primary Is August 18. Here's What You Need to Know.

Florida's congressional map was redrawn by the Legislature in May 2026. Congressional District 22, formerly a compact district contained entirely within Palm Beach County, now stretches across the state of Florida, spanning four South Florida counties: Collier, Hendry, Palm Beach, and Broward.

Collier County Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier sent voter registration cards to just over 173,000 registered voters across the county in early June. Approximately 125,000 of those voters are now in the new Congressional District 22.

If you haven't checked your registration card or haven't confirmed your congressional district assignment, you need to do it before August 18.

The geographic change is dramatic. Political scientist Dr. Aubrey Jewett, who has studied Florida redistricting closely, described District 22 as arguably taking the biggest change of any district in the state, going from a very compact, single-county Palm Beach district to one of the biggest, most sprawling districts across all of South Florida.

The district now covers sections of Collier County, all of Hendry County, and extends across the peninsula to Palm Beach and Broward Counties on the Atlantic Coast. Whoever wins this seat will represent a population that spans the Gulf Coast, agricultural inland communities, and the densely populated Southeast Florida coastline, a combination of demographics and priorities that don't naturally overlap.

Dr. Bethany Conrad, a political science professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, put the practical challenge plainly: the people who live in Collier County probably have different priorities than the people who live in Broward County. Redistricting isn't just redrawing lines, it's changing who represents you and what issues get prioritized in Congress.

Nine candidates are running in District 22's August 18 primary, seven Republicans and two Democrats. Because no candidate from either party is running unopposed, all registered voters in the district have an opportunity to weigh in on their party's nominee.

Blazier emphasized that these candidates are not just from Collier County. They are spread across all four counties that make up the new district, meaning Collier voters will be choosing from a field that includes candidates who live far from Naples and may be unfamiliar names locally.

Step 1 — Confirm your district. Your new voter registration card should show Congressional District 22 if that's where you've been assigned. If you haven't received one or aren't sure, go to colliervotes.gov and click "Check my registration status." The site will show all of your current representatives, including your congressional district.

Step 2 — Research the candidates. With seven Republicans and two Democrats on the ballot and candidates spread across four counties, this requires more homework than a typical local primary. National political databases including Ballotpedia.org have profiles on all candidates.

Step 3 — Know your polling location. Redistricting sometimes means new polling places. Confirm your specific voting location at colliervotes.gov before Election Day.

Step 4 — Vote early or by mail if you can. Mail-in ballots are already out. Early voting runs from August 8 through August 16. Election Day is August 18.

Information sourced from WINK News reporting by Maddie Herron, the Collier County Supervisor of Elections, and Florida Gulf Coast University political science faculty.