Florida candidates rally as voter registration deadline nears and vaccine exemption debate intensifies

Candidates in Florida’s 17th Congressional District campaign vigorously ahead of the voter registration deadline, while debates over vaccine exemptions escalate amidst public division on health policies.

With the deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation looming on Monday, candidates in Florida’s 17th Congressional District are spending the final stretch of the campaign meeting voters face to face. Democratic nominee Matthew Montavon recently finished an 80-mile walk across the district, which stretches through Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties, saying he wanted to show he was present on the ground and paying attention to what residents need.

Montavon, who also ran for the seat in 2024, said the walk gave him a closer look at places where roads and other basic systems need work. He argued that better infrastructure would make daily life easier and help the district function more smoothly. Incumbent Republican Greg Steube said he has been working on behalf of the district from Washington, but acknowledged the value of hearing directly from constituents as the election approaches. Steube, who sits on the Ways and Means and Intelligence committees, said he wants to keep pushing for lower taxes and stronger public safety if he wins another term.

Steube also pointed to veterans’ issues as a priority, saying he has long focused on helping service members navigate federal systems, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and Medicare. Both candidates framed their campaigns as rooted in concerns that cut across party lines, even as independent candidate Michael Quirk also remains on the ballot. All three are expected to keep campaigning until Election Day on Nov. 3.

The same day, the state health department signalled that it is not yet moving forward with a proposal to widen vaccine exemptions for parents who object on moral or ethical grounds. That idea would have given families another way to opt out of school vaccine requirements, but officials are instead continuing with a separate plan to remove entry requirements for four vaccines: hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib and pneumococcal disease. Florida already allows religious and medical exemptions, with county health departments issuing religious exemption forms and private healthcare providers able to grant medical exemptions when immunisations are contraindicated. The state also points parents to its childhood immunisation guidance and the Florida SHOTS registry, which helps families, schools and providers track records.

Public reaction remains sharply divided. Supporters of the rollbacks describe them as a matter of personal freedom, while doctors and infectious disease specialists warn that weakening vaccination requirements could increase risks for children and communities. Residents will have another chance to weigh in at a Florida Department of Health workshop on Thursday in Lake Mary.