Judge J. Andrew "Drew" Atkinson will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot in a nonpartisan retention vote for his seat on the Florida Second District Court of Appeal.

In a retention election, voters choose "yes" or "no" on whether to keep a sitting judge. No opposing candidate appears on the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

Atkinson was appointed to the Second District Court of Appeal by Governor Rick Scott in 2018, according to a Hillsborough County Bar Association biography. Voters retained him in the Nov. 3, 2020, general election, according to The News-Press. He is certified for the 2026 ballot, according to BallotReady.

Candidate information

  • Full name: J. Andrew "Drew" Atkinson
  • Hometown: Born in Gainesville, Florida; raised in Bradenton, where he graduated from Manatee High School, according to the Florida Second District Court of Appeal
  • Education: Bachelor's degree from Florida State University (1996); juris doctor from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law (2005), according to BallotReady and Colodny Fass
  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026

Experience and public service

Atkinson served as a sergeant (E-5) in the U.S. Army's 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment from 1997 to 2001, according to his Hillsborough County Bar Association biography.

After earning his law degree, Atkinson clerked for Judge Melanie G. May at the Fourth District Court of Appeal, according to the Second District Court of Appeal. He worked at Broad and Cassel.

Atkinson held several positions in state government before his appointment to the bench. He served as an attorney in the Criminal Appeals Division of the Florida Office of the Attorney General and as assistant attorney general, according to Colodny Fass. He also served as deputy solicitor general and as assistant general counsel to the governor, according to the Second District Court of Appeal.

He served as general counsel at the Florida Department of State from 2013 to 2015 and as general counsel at the Florida Department of Management Services from 2015 to 2018, according to BallotReady.

On the bench, Atkinson has served on the Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases, the Commission on District Court of Appeal Performance and Accountability, and the District Court of Appeal Education Committee, according to the Second District Court of Appeal.

The Land O' Lakes-Lutz Courier did not receive issue-position responses or endorsement information for this candidate. This profile will be updated if that information becomes available.