Florida State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2022

Florida Senate District 17

A district of about 551,000 people, 42% Hispanic, 43% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+13.4 relative to the nation for president.

Carlos Smith (D)Next election Nov 7, 2028

2022 election

Nov 8, 2022
  1. Linda Stewart (D) · won · incumbent56.1%
  2. Steve Dixon (R)43.9%

Full results →

Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Oct 2, 2026, 5:14 AM ET

Where it sits among all 39 seats

Every Florida State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.

D+13.47th most
Democratic
Most DemocraticMost Republican20th seat · the majority lineDistrict 17

Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET

Every election for this seat

13 races since 1982; the seat changed party 1 time. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.

YearWinnerRunner-upWon by
Lines first used in 2022
2022Linda Stewart (D)Steve Dixon (R)12.1
Lines first used in 2012
2020Debbie Mayfield (R)Scot Fretwell (D)24.7
2016Debbie Mayfield (R)Amy C. Tidd (D)24.2
2012John Legg (R)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 2002
2008J. D. Alexander (R)Scott K. Thompson (D)18.3
2004J. D. Alexander (R)—Unopposed
2002J. D. Alexander (R)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 1992
2000John Laurent (R)Flip—Unopposed
1996Rick Dantzler (D)Dennis A. Ross (R)10.4
1992Rick Dantzler (D)Tom Williamson (R)11.7
Lines first used in 1982
1988W. W. Gardner (D)Lori Wilson (R)4.8
1984John Vogt (D)—Unopposed
1982John Vogt (D)Jason Steele (R)19.4

Primaries: 1988 Republican primary

Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Districts that overlap District 17

The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 17's area in each.

U.S. House
FL-8 62%, FL-9 23%, FL-10 15%
Florida House of Representatives
HD-35 69%, HD-43 14%, HD-37 6%, HD-42 6%

Every race on these lines

Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.

201620202024
PresidentD+29.7D+19.9D+7.3
U.S. SenateD+20.0No raceD+7.3

Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year

Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET

Who lives here, compared

Grey bars show the spread of all 39 seats. Small marks are other seats in Florida. The black marker is District 17.

Adults with a bachelor's degree43% 89th pct · 5th of 39 in FL

Higher than 89% of seats.

White adults without a degree20% 21st pct · 31st of 39 in FL

Lower than 79% of seats.

Hispanic residents42% 87th pct · 6th of 39 in FL

Higher than 87% of seats.

Black residents9% 29th pct · 28th of 39 in FL

Lower than 71% of seats.

Asian residents5% 95th pct · 3rd of 39 in FL

Higher than 95% of seats.

People per square mile1,126 66th pct · 14th of 39 in FL

Denser than 66% of seats.

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET