Candidates contest Florida House seat in Palm Beach County
A special election will fill the vacancy left by former Representative Joe Casello in Florida House District 90, covering parts of Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and surrounding areas. Election day is scheduled for December 9, with early voting from November 29 to December 7. The winner will serve the remaining year of Casello’s term and participate in the 2026 legislative session.
The Democratic nominee is Rob Long, 40, a Delray Beach city commissioner and former Palm Beach County Young Democrats president. The Republican nominee is Maria Zack, 62, who currently resides in Palm Beach, and the independent candidate is Karen Yeh, 64, a Boynton Beach resident. Long supports property‑tax relief that preserves funding for fire, EMS, roads, and libraries. Zack advocates a reduction of property taxes and the elimination of vaccine mandates; she also opposes the use of public funds for LGBTQ+ crosswalks. Yeh has not aligned her campaign with either major party.
Campaign finance filings show Long raised $133,886 for his campaign and political committee, while Zack raised $41,870 across her campaign and committee. Long has received endorsements from the Associated Industries of Florida and contributions from real‑estate and lobbyist groups; Zack received support from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee and from various conservative figures.
District 90’s registered voters are 39.3 % Democratic, 30.5 % Republican, and 29.3 % independent, with no-party-affiliation voters often turning out in lower numbers at special elections. Turnout is expected to be modest because the election occurs between Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays.
Early voting locations include the Delray Beach Community Center, the South County Supervisor of Elections office, and the Ezell Hester Community Center in Boynton Beach. Mail‑vote requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. on November 27; completed mail ballots can be dropped off at early‑voting sites or returned to the Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m. on December 9.