Florida Voters Guide 2026 November 3, 2026 General Election
Races › Florida House, District 39 › Doug Bankson
Photo of Doug Bankson
Photo: Ballotpedia candidate photo (downloaded copy in assets/photos)
Florida House, District 39

Doug Bankson

RepublicanIncumbent

Incumbent Republican state representative for HD 39 (Apopka area; parts of Orange and Seminole counties), first elected 2022. Won the Aug. 18, 2026 Republican primary over Carlos F. Johary Sr.

How they got on the ballot: Won Aug. 18, 2026 Republican primary over Carlos F. Johary Sr.

Campaign website ↗Ballotpedia profile ↗

Campaign finance: state and county candidates file with the Florida Division of Elections or the county Supervisor of Elections. Search contributions ↗

Sources last checked 2026-09-30. Report an error ↗

Positions on the major issues

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Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.

Property taxes Leans agree· based on record

Statement: "Florida should eliminate or sharply reduce homestead property taxes, even if local governments must cut services or find other revenue."

Voted for CS/HJR 1-F (2026), the June 2026 joint resolution that placed Amendment 3 on the ballot to raise the non-school homestead exemption to $250,000 by 2028 and let counties and cities exempt homesteads entirely; because the vote sent the question to voters rather than cutting taxes itself, a vote for it is coded as leaning toward sharply reducing homestead property taxes rather than as full agreement.

Sources: CS/HJR 1-F (2026) bill page - The Florida Senate (2026-06-02) · CS/HJR 1-F (2026) roll-call vote (House) (2026-06-02)

Property insurance Leans disagree· based on record

Statement: "The state should intervene more directly in the property-insurance market (rate caps, expanding Citizens, stricter insurer regulation) rather than relying mainly on market-based reforms."

Voted for SB 2-A (Dec. 2022), the December 2022 property-insurance law that ended one-way attorney fees and assignment of benefits and created a state reinsurance program, a market-based approach; a vote for it is coded as leaning against more direct state intervention.

Sources: SB 2-A (Dec. 2022) bill page - The Florida Senate (2022-12) · SB 2-A (Dec. 2022) roll-call vote (House) (2022-12)

Housing affordability Leans agree· based on record

Statement: "Government should do more to make housing affordable (subsidies, zoning changes, rent measures)."

Voted for CS/SB 102 (2023), the 2023 Live Local Act that put $711 million into state housing programs, required local governments to allow multifamily housing in commercial areas when at least 40 percent of units are affordable, and created property-tax exemptions for affordable developments; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward more government action on housing.

Sources: CS/SB 102 (2023) bill page - The Florida Senate (2023-03-24) · CS/SB 102 (2023) roll-call vote (House) (2023-03-24)

Immigration Strongly agrees· based on record

Statement: "Immigration enforcement should be stricter, including large-scale deportation of people in the country illegally."

Voted for SB 2-C (2025), the February 2025 special-session immigration law that created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, made entering Florida as an unauthorized immigrant a state crime and required local cooperation with federal detention.

Sources: SB 2-C (2025) bill page - The Florida Senate (2025-02-13) · SB 2-C (2025) roll-call vote (House) (2025-02-13)

Abortion Strongly disagrees· based on record

Statement: "Abortion should be legal in most cases (Florida's six-week ban should be repealed or loosened)."

Voted for SB 300 (2023), the 2023 law limiting most abortions to six weeks of pregnancy.

Sources: SB 300 (2023) bill page - The Florida Senate (2023-04) · SB 300 (2023) roll-call vote (House) (2023-04)

Guns Strongly disagrees· based on record

Statement: "Gun laws should be stricter (keep the red-flag law and the age-21 purchase rule; expand background checks) rather than looser (permitless or open carry, lower purchase age)."

Voted for HB 543 (2023), the 2023 law allowing adults to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.

Sources: HB 543 (2023) bill page - The Florida Senate (2023-03) · HB 543 (2023) roll-call vote (House) (2023-03)

Education & school choice Strongly agrees· based on record

Statement: "Public money should follow students to private, charter or home schools (universal school vouchers)."

Voted for HB 1 (2023), the 2023 law that made every Florida student eligible for a state-funded scholarship usable at private schools or for home education.

Sources: HB 1 (2023) bill page - The Florida Senate (2023-03) · HB 1 (2023) roll-call vote (House) (2023-03)

Environment & water Leans agree· stated position

Statement: "Protecting water quality, conservation land and climate resilience should take priority even if it slows development or raises costs."

In the Oviedo Community News general-election questionnaire (Sept. 30, 2026) Bankson said water issues should top the state's environmental list so the aquifer is protected and waterways preserved, and named restoring Lake Apopka as a personal priority. He did not address whether protection should come ahead of development.

"Water issues should top the list so that our aquifer is protected and our waterways are enjoyed for posterity."
Sources: Doug Bankson — Oviedo Community News 2026 general election … (2026-09-30) · Voter Guide – General Election 2026 (Oviedo Community News) (2026-09-30)

Elections & voting Strongly disagrees· based on record

Statement: "Voting should be made easier (mail voting, drop boxes, restoring voting rights) rather than adding new restrictions."

Voted for SB 7050 (2023), the 2023 elections law that raised penalties and shortened deadlines for third-party voter-registration groups and changed vote-by-mail and voter-roll procedures.

Sources: SB 7050 (2023) bill page - The Florida Senate (2023-04) · SB 7050 (2023) roll-call vote (House) (2023-04)

Gender identity laws Strongly agrees· based on record

Statement: "Florida's laws restricting gender-affirming care for minors and classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity should remain in place."

Voted for SB 254 (2023), the 2023 law barring gender-affirming medical treatment for minors and restricting it for adults.

Sources: SB 254 (2023) bill page - The Florida Senate (2023-05-04) · SB 254 (2023) roll-call vote (House) (2023-05-04)

Energy & utilities Leans disagree· based on record

Statement: "Government should promote renewable energy and tighten oversight of utility rate increases, even at the expense of fossil-fuel production."

Voted for CS/CS/HB 1645 (2024), the 2024 energy law that removed climate change as a priority of state energy policy, repealed several renewable-energy goals and grant programs, banned offshore wind turbines in state waters and eased regulation of natural-gas pipelines; a vote for it is coded as leaning against promoting renewable energy.

Sources: CS/CS/HB 1645 (2024) bill page - The Florida Senate (2024-03-07) · CS/CS/HB 1645 (2024) roll-call vote (House) (2024-03-07)
No public position found on 7 issues

We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Health care, Growth & development, Marijuana, Crime & policing, Trump administration, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.

Other issues this candidate has raised

  • Vaccines and medical freedom — In a Sept. 20, 2026 VoxPopuli story on the District 39 race, Bankson described himself as a 'selective vaxxer' rather than anti-vaccine and said parents should be able to question vaccine requirements. He said he lost trust in medical institutions when COVID-19 vaccines were fast-tracked, questioned the number of childhood shots, and said data he reviewed led him to conclude measles is not a deadly disease.
    Sources: House District 39 race reflects fight between public health… (2026-09-20)
  • Data centers, micro-nuclear power and replacing property-tax revenue — Bankson said data centers should be required to use closed-loop, net-neutral water systems and to produce their own power, and said he would pursue micro-nuclear generation, which he said could create revenue to help replace reduced property-tax collections. He said he will vote yes on Amendment 3 and listed possible replacement revenue including a trust fund funded by a sales-tax or tourism surcharge.
    Sources: Doug Bankson — Oviedo Community News 2026 general election … (2026-09-30)
  • Replacing local revenue if Amendment 3 passes — In the Central Florida Public Media guide, Bankson listed ways to fund a state trust fund for local governments if the homestead amendment passes, including a 1% sales-tax increase, a tourist-stay surcharge and front license-plate revenue.
    Sources: Central Florida Public Media / News Collaborative 2026 Vote… (2026-10-17)

Record: votes, actions and documented facts

  • Voted for CS/HJR 1-F (2026), the June 2026 joint resolution that placed Amendment 3 on the ballot to raise the non-school homestead exemption to $250,000 by 2028 and let counties and cities exempt homesteads entirely; because the vote sent the question to voters rather than cutting taxes itself, a vote for it is coded as leaning toward sharply reducing homestead property taxes rather than as full agreement.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for SB 2-C (2025), the February 2025 special-session immigration law that created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, made entering Florida as an unauthorized immigrant a state crime and required local cooperation with federal detention.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for SB 300 (2023), the 2023 law limiting most abortions to six weeks of pregnancy.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for HB 543 (2023), the 2023 law allowing adults to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for HB 1 (2023), the 2023 law that made every Florida student eligible for a state-funded scholarship usable at private schools or for home education.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for SB 254 (2023), the 2023 law barring gender-affirming medical treatment for minors and restricting it for adults.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for SB 7050 (2023), the 2023 elections law that raised penalties and shortened deadlines for third-party voter-registration groups and changed vote-by-mail and voter-roll procedures.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for SB 2-A (Dec. 2022), the December 2022 property-insurance law that ended one-way attorney fees and assignment of benefits and created a state reinsurance program, a market-based approach; a vote for it is coded as leaning against more direct state intervention.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for CS/CS/HB 1645 (2024), the 2024 energy law that removed climate change as a priority of state energy policy, repealed several renewable-energy goals and grant programs, banned offshore wind turbines in state waters and eased regulation of natural-gas pipelines; a vote for it is coded as leaning against promoting renewable energy.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote
  • Voted for CS/SB 102 (2023), the 2023 Live Local Act that put $711 million into state housing programs, required local governments to allow multifamily housing in commercial areas when at least 40 percent of units are affordable, and created property-tax exemptions for affordable developments; a vote for it is coded as leaning toward more government action on housing.
    Sources: Bill page · Roll-call vote

Endorsements (as reported)

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