The 2026 Elections in Florida are a Referendum on Science
Elections have consequences. As the challenges we face as a state grow, the act of voting transcends simply being a civic duty and becomes an act of survival – the survival of other species, of wild places, of cultural traditions and of places we have loved and known for generations.
Elections have consequences. As the challenges we face as a state grow, the act of voting transcends simply being a civic duty and becomes an act of survival – the survival of other species, of wild places, of cultural traditions and of places we have loved and known for generations. Our elections in Florida this fall are in part a referendum on science. They will decide how we value science, and how we use it. Science is essential to all parts of public policy. It starts in the way we teach science to our children. Neil deGrasse Tyson, famed astrophysicist, has argued that all children are born scientists. I taught elementary school science, and his words ring true. “How” and “why” are common and beautiful questions. My students would often ask questions like, “How do birds, so small and fragile, travel so far when they migrate, even over huge bodies of water?” Kids love hands on experiments, they love learning and they love understanding the world around them. We need to elect public officials from the local to federal level that support science education. STEM curriculum and activities are essential for quality education, and for a well-trained work force capable of critical thinking. We won’t compete in a world of high tech and scientific advancement with young people who are not ready. In our schools, particularly in elementary school, we tend to focus on math and reading as the core areas of focus. Perhaps though we should elevate science instruction to an equal footing in a changing world, a trifecta of skills needed for life in the modern world. If this requires changes in education policy, funding, and priorities we need to elect officials who support that. Cultivating a love of hands-on science that explains the wonders of life to students at a young age can inspire and cultivate lifelong science learners who trust science-based solutions to guide our path forward. The challenges we face as a state, rapidly reaching a population of 23. 4 million people, will all demand science as the key to the solutions we seek. Climate change, sea level rise, intensifying weather, water quality, pollution, infectious diseases, etc. all must be met with an adherence to and faith in science-driven solutions. We have tolerated elected officials who dispute or undercut the value of science far too long. We have elected candidates who magically believe that if we simply strike the words “climate change” from state policy, all will be cured. We have accepted too little from leaders who have failed to lead. We cannot do that again. Regardless of party or ideology, regardless of social or cultural issues, we must find common ground on issues that speak to and influence our collective survival. Science is not about politics or ideology. It is science. And we ignore it at our collective peril. Stronger hurricanes demand resilience and adaptation from us. These practices are driven by science and those who welcome it. We must ask our candidates for public office for real solutions to daunting problems. How do we adapt to sea-level rise and climate change impacts? How do we protect human and natural communities from flooding and storm surge? How do we prepare for more intense hurricanes? How do we use the best, most current, most impactful science to protect those we love?We can’t cut funding for federal agencies like the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Surface (NWS) and then be prepared for the world we are entering. NOAA is essential to understanding weather forecasting, oceans, fisheries, navigation, and commerce. NOAA is science in action. Somehow science got drawn into culture war issues and we lost sight of the fact that everything from medical care to food production depends on science. We depend on science. So, this fall we need to find, support, donate to, and vote for candidates who support science and consider knowledge important. We need to support candidates for governor who will appoint commissioners and board members to state commissions and districts who have a professional background or academic background in science. If you seek to lead it, you must fully understand it. Science is on the ballot this fall, and it wins through candidates who support it. If that happens, we will have safer, more sustainable, more livable communities with healthier waterways and healthier people. Joe Murphy is a native and lifelong Floridian who lives along Florida’s Nature Coast. He is a conservation advocate, educator, and nature writer. You can follow Joe on Facebook at:https://bit. ly/joemurphyfacebook