Who is running for Florida House, District 76 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Florida House, District 76 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Florida House District 76.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Phillip Ray CarterDemocrat | Vanessa OliverRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Guns | No public position | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightVoted · medium |
| Election rules | No public position | Strict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsVoted · low |
| Redistricting | No public position | State legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantageVoted · medium |
| E-Verify mandate | No public position | Require it for all employersVoted · medium |
| DEI programs | No public position | Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutionsVoted · medium |
Phillip Ray Carter
DemocratPrivate citizen
Phillip Ray Carter is the Democratic candidate for House District 76 on the November 3, 2026 ballot1. He faces incumbent Republican Vanessa Oliver1.
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, School choice, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Vanessa Oliver
Republican · IncumbentFlorida State Representative, District 76
Vanessa Oliver of Punta Gorda is a CEO with an economics degree from the College of William & Mary and a law degree from the University of Florida, and the Florida House lists her as Florida Bar board certified in health law1. She was elected to the Florida House in 2024 and faces Democrat Phillip Ray Carter on November 3, 202612.
Where they stand 6 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on HB 759 (2025), which would have lowered the minimum age to buy a rifle or shotgun from 21 to 18; it died in the Senate; it passed the House 78 to 34. (2025-03-26) source
- Voted yes on HB 133 (2026), which would have lowered the minimum age to buy a rifle or shotgun from 21 to 18; it died in the Senate; it passed the House 74 to 37. (2026-01-15) source
- Voted yes on HB 6025 (2025), which repealed automatic restrictions on firearms and ammunition during declared emergencies and became law; it passed the House 86 to 28. (2025-04-16) source
E-Verify mandateRequire it for all employersmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on HB 197 (2026), which would have required all private employers, not only those with 25 or more workers, to use E-Verify; it passed the House 80 to 30 and died in the Senate. (2026-01-15) source
DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 1134 (2026), which bars counties and cities from funding or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion or taking official action on it; it passed the House 77 to 37. (2026-03-10) source
RedistrictingState legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantagemedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on HB 1-D (2026), which redrew Florida's congressional districts in the middle of the decade; it passed the House 83 to 28. (2026-04-29) source
Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted yes on HB 991 (2026), which requires election officials to verify that registered voters are U.S. citizens and to record the proof used; it passed the House 83 to 31. (2026-02-25) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitsmedium
Voted · medium confidence- Voted yes on SB 2-C (2025), which created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, funded local cooperation with federal immigration agents and required local law enforcement to take part; it passed the House 85 to 30. (2025-02-13) source
- Voted yes on SB 4-C (2025), which created state crimes for entering Florida after entering the country illegally and required those charged to be held without bond; it passed the House 85 to 29. (2025-02-13) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Energy and climate, School choice, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Transgender athletes, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-10. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.