Desmond Meade is running as a Non-Party Affiliated Candidate for Florida Governor in 2026
Desmond Meade is running as a Non-Party Affiliated Candidate for Florida Governor in 2026

Desmond Meade is running for Governor as a Non-Party Affiliated (NPA) candidate to create a more affordable Florida with a government that works for people, not politicians.

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Desmond's Vision

Government should work for the people of Florida, not politicians.

Too often political disagreements have overshadowed the people’s priorities.

Desmond is Committed to:

  1. Lower Costs for Florida Families

    Bring down the cost of living by addressing housing affordability, rising property insurance costs, high healthcare expenses, and lower taxes.

  2. Stronger Schools, Stronger Future

    Ensure every child in Florida has access to high-quality education, well-supported teachers, and real opportunity to succeed.

  3. Safer Communities

    Proven solutions that keep neighborhoods safe, build community trust, and prevent crime.

  4. An Economy that Works for People

    Support policies that create good-paying jobs, help small businesses grow, and ensure corporations contribute to our communities.

  5. Accountability in Government

    Demand a government that answers to the people — not special interests — delivers real results in people's lives, and puts results ahead of politics and parties.

Desmond Meade and the team at the railroad tracks

We're Running

Government by and for Everyday People

Desmond Meade

Desmond Meade

I've lived the failures of this system and I know what it feels like to live in a state where the government doesn’t see you, doesn’t fight for you, and doesn’t work for you.

Costs are rising. Housing is harder to afford. Healthcare is too expensive. Our schools are under pressure. And too often, politicians in Tallahassee are focused on partisan fights instead of real solutions.

I know what’s possible when people - Republicans, Democrats, Independents, come together around a basic idea:

Government should work for people, not politicians.

For too long Florida politics has been built to reward division instead of solving problems. Politicians pit neighbors against each other to divide communities and fuel conflict in order to win elections while the real problems facing Floridians continue to worsen.

That’s why I’m running for Governor as a Non-Party Affiliated (NPA) candidate.

But I’m not running by myself. I am bringing everyday Floridians along with me because the needs of Floridians should have priority over partisan politics, special interests, and big corporations.

Meet Desmond

Meet Desmond

Desmond Meade is not a politician.

Desmond has lived experience with every system he wants to change.

Desmond Meade is a globally respected civil rights leader, voting rights advocate, author, and community organizer. He has been honored as Central Floridian of the Year by the Orlando Sentinel and Floridaian of the Year by the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida. Desmond is also a MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient. Under his leadership, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition earned a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Desmond’s life experience is deeply connected to the very systems he aims to reform. Having overcome homelessness, addiction, and the collateral consequences of a past conviction, he understands firsthand the challenges facing Floridians; from housing and healthcare to community safety and education.

For more than two decades since his release, Desmond has devoted himself to serving his community and the people of Florida. He has worked to reduce homelessness and advocated for the use of gun violence reduction programs in several counties in FloridaHe is a motivational speaker, mentor, and a voice for the voiceless.

Desmond also knows how to build winning coalitions across Florida’s diverse communities and political landscapes. In 2018, he led a successful grassroots effort that restored voting rights to 1.4 million Floridians with past convictions—the largest expansion of voting rights in the U.S. in decades. From that victory, he learned that when we come together and lead with love instead of division, we can accomplish anything.

Now, as a Non-Party Affiliated candidate for Governor, Desmond wants to continue to prioritize the needs of everyday Floridians, and place people over partisan politics.

Desmond Meade and the team at the railroad tracks