Polk County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046,as of the 2020 census,and estimated to be 818,330,as of July 1,2023. Its county seat is Bartow,and its largest city is Lakeland. Polk County comprises the Lakeland–Winter Haven metropolitan statistical area (MSA). This MSA is the 77th-most populous one and the 89th-most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1,2012. The center of population of Florida is located in Polk County,near the city of Lake Wales. Polk County is home to one public university,one state college,and four private universities.
Lakeland is a city in Polk County,Florida,United States. Located along I-4 east of Tampa and west of Orlando,it is the most populous city in Polk County. As of the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release,the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lakeland is situated among several lakes including Lake Morton downtown and is sometimes locally referred to by the nickname "Swan City" due to its sizeable population of swans,all of whom are descendants of two mute swans given to Lakeland by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Lakeland is home to several colleges and universities. Lakeland Linder International Airport is in Lakeland as is the corporate headquarters of Publix,a supermarket chain.
State Road 548,also known as the Lakeland In-Town Bypass,is a short six-lane arterial in Lakeland,Florida,United States,opened in early 2004. It connects George Jenkins Boulevard to U.S. Highway 98 (US 98) and SR 600 east of downtown,allowing traffic to bypass downtown.
Lakeland Senior High School,opened in 1902,is the oldest public high school in Lakeland,Florida,United States. The school was originally located on North Florida Avenue and was destroyed by fire in 1927. It is part of Polk County Public Schools. Lakeland Senior High School was the original high school in the city. It also shares its campus with Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts. Harrison students attend academic classes at Lakeland Senior High School.
Paula Dockery is an independent politician from the U.S. state of Florida. She served as a member of the Florida Senate for ten years,representing parts of Central Florida from 2002 to 2012 as a Republican. Previously,she served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives,representing a Lakeland-based district from 1996 until her election to the Senate. In January 2017,she left the Republican Party and became a Democrat.
Seth McKeel was a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2014,representing the 63rd District from 2006 to 2012 and the 40th District,which included most of metropolitan Lakeland in Polk County,from 2012 to 2014.
John K. Stargel is an American politician and judge in Florida.
The 2010 United States House of Representatives Elections in Florida were held on November 2,2010,to determine who would represent the state of Florida in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms;those elected served in the 112th Congress from January 2011 until January 2013. Florida had twenty-five seats in the House,apportioned according to the 2000 United States census,but would soon gain two more congressional seats in 2012.
Darren Michael Soto is an American attorney and Democratic politician from Kissimmee,Florida,who is the U.S. representative for Florida's 9th district.
Kelli Stargel is an American politician who is a former Republican member of the Florida State Senate,representing the Lakeland area from 2012–2022. She has represented the 22nd district,encompassing northern Polk and southern Lake Counties,since 2016,after being redistricted from the 15th district. She previously served two terms in the Florida House of Representatives,representing northern Polk from 2008 to 2012.
The 2014 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 4,2014,to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Florida.
Ben Albritton is a Republican politician,current member of the Florida Senate and a former member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 56th District,which includes DeSoto County,Hardee County,and southwestern Polk County,from 2012 to 2018. Albritton previously represented the 66th District from 2010 to 2012.
Vincent Ross Spano is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative from Florida's 15th congressional district. The district stretches from Lakeland to the northeastern suburbs of Tampa. A Republican,he was first elected to Congress in the 2018 elections. He ran for reelection in the 2020 election but was defeated in the Republican primary.
Alan Michael Cohn is an American journalist who was the Democratic nominee in the 2022 U.S. House of Representatives election in Florida's 15th congressional district.
A special election for Florida's 13th congressional district was held March 11,2014,to elect a member of the United States House of Representatives,following the death of incumbent Republican Congressman Bill Young on October 18,2013. Primary elections were held on January 14,2014. Young,who had already announced that he would not be running for re-election in 2014,was re-elected in 2012 with 57 percent of the vote. With 100% of the precincts reporting,David Jolly was declared the winner.
Colleen Burton is an American politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for the 40th district from 2014 to 2022.
The 2018 Florida Commissioner of Agriculture election occurred on November 6,2018,to elect the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam was term-limited and could not seek a third consecutive term. Democrat Nikki Fried narrowly defeated Republican Matt Caldwell. Fried became the only statewide elected Democrat in Florida,as U.S. Senator Bill Nelson,who had held Florida's Class I U.S. Senate seat since 2000,lost re-election.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday,November 6,2018,to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida,one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices,including a gubernatorial election,other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate,and various state and local elections. The party primaries were held on August 28,2018.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on November 8,2022,to elect the 28 U.S. representatives from Florida,one from each of the state's 28 congressional districts. The primary was held on August 23,2022. The elections coincided with the 2022 United States Senate election in Florida,other elections to the House of Representatives,other elections to the United States Senate,and various state and local elections.
Clifford Scott Franklin is an American politician and businessman who has served in the United States House of Representatives since 2021. He represented Florida's 15th congressional district from 2021 to 2023,and has represented Florida's 18th district since 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party.
