Of everything voters decided Tuesday, this is the one nearly every Florida homeowner will feel in their own wallet. Amendment 3 cleared the 60% bar comfortably.
Why it matters: Homestead owners get a much bigger break on city and county taxes — and local governments lose billions they’ll have to cut or replace.
The big picture
Preliminary state results (Florida Election Watch):
| Votes | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 4,917,482 | 61.99% |
| No | 3,015,840 | 38.01% |
| Total | 7,933,322 |
- Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X Tuesday evening: “Barring something unexpected, Amendment 3 will pass” (per the Tallahassee Democrat).
- The Exa results service called it at 9:46 p.m. ET; NBC 6 also called it for “Yes.”
- Some provisional and overseas ballots (10-day window) are still out, but the Tallahassee Democrat says they’re unlikely to change the outcome. Amendment 2, by comparison, got 58.22% and failed.
What changes (per the amendment text, Florida Department of State)
- Homestead: exemption from all non-school taxes rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then indexed to inflation. The 2026 maximum is $51,411 (Florida Department of Revenue, via NBC 6).
- School taxes: exemption unchanged.
- Second homes and commercial property: annual assessment cap drops from 10% to 5%.
- Newcomers: if you weren’t a Florida resident on 12/31/2026, you get the standard exemption, with the larger one only from your fifth year.
- Local spending: property-tax revenue may go to public safety, schools, infrastructure, natural resources, debt, pensions and administration.
- Effective: 01/01/2027.
When you’ll notice: the new rules apply to the 2027 tax year; homeowners will feel it in 2028 when paying 2027 bills (Tallahassee Democrat).
Winners and payers
- Win: homestead owners, especially of mid- and higher-value homes.
- Partly win: owners of second homes, rentals and commercial property — assessments rise no more than 5% a year.
- It depends: renters and new arrivals. Renters get nothing directly, but tax attorney French Brown (per the Tallahassee Democrat) says a renter who buys and becomes a resident by 12/31/2026, may qualify for the larger benefit.
- Pay: local budgets. Florida TaxWatch estimates a $4.9 billion cut in year one and $45.8 billion over five years. Critics quoted by the Tallahassee Democrat warn of cuts to police, fire rescue, hurricane recovery, parks and roads — or new fees.
What’s next
Watch your city and county budgets in 2027: that’s where the $4.9 billion question gets answered.
Our view
We think Amendment 3 is good news for people who already live in Florida and own a home — and a warning for everyone who uses city services, which is everyone. The tax doesn’t vanish; some of it will likely come back as fees. The irony: a state built on newcomers just told newcomers to wait five years. If you’re planning to buy in Miami, 12/31/2026, is now a very real date.
Read also
- Florida Amendment 3: A Property Tax Cut That Could Zero Out Some Bills — and Raise Others
- Florida Governor Race 2026: Donalds vs. Jolly — and Why Miami May Decide It
- Prices After the Midterms: Will Democrats Kill Trump’s Tariffs?
Sources
- Florida Election Watch — Amendments (official preliminary results)
- Tallahassee Democrat — Florida Amendment 3 property tax election results 2026 updates (11/04/2026)
- NBC 6 South Florida — Florida Amendment 3 passes. What the result means for homeowners
- Florida Department of State — Constitutional Initiatives: Amendment 3 text
- Exa — 2026 Florida Amendment 3 results
By Sergey Danilov, American Panorama.
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