by Florida Wins Police Car Beauty Contest Again
Every year, police patrols from various US states compete for the title of the most beautiful service vehicle. For the past three years, Florida has taken the win. This year, it seemed the winning streak might end, but at the last moment, the “Sunshine State” managed to snatch its fourth consecutive victory. Here’s how it happened and who made it into the top five.
Dramatic Contest Finale
The American Association of State Troopers (AAST) announced the results of the 13th annual “America’s Most Beautiful Patrol Car” contest after over 360,000 votes came in from fans nationwide. Michigan led for most of the competition, but the Florida Highway Patrol’s communications team organized a powerful final push that allowed the state’s black-and-tan Mustang to secure victory.
The AAST joked about the dramatic conclusion, noting that “it must be hunting season in Florida, because they managed to shoot down the Blue Goose” — the nickname for Michigan’s famous blue patrol cars. The association also mentioned “hanging ballots” and “night-time vote dumps,” emphasizing that this was just friendly banter within the contest.
Voting Results
Florida finished with 52,249 votes, significantly ahead of Michigan, which received 37,654 votes after the polls closed. Georgia placed third with 34,933 votes, followed by Ohio and Kentucky, rounding out the top five. A total of 360,433 votes were cast across all participating states. Oregon received the fewest votes — only 185.
Award and Calendar
The win means Florida will again receive the “America’s Most Beautiful Patrol Car” award, and its winning photo will appear on the cover of the “America’s Most Beautiful Patrol Cars” wall calendar for 2027. Proceeds from calendar sales support the American Association of State Troopers Foundation, which provides educational scholarships to the children of association members.
If the winning streak continues, perhaps the state name “Florida” should be added to the calendar’s title.
2026 “America’s Most Beautiful Patrol Car” Vote Table
| Place | State | Votes | Place | State | Votes |
| 1 | Florida | 52,249 | 26 | Missouri | 3,300 |
| 2 | Michigan | 37,654 | 27 | Arizona | 3,222 |
| 3 | Georgia | 34,933 | 28 | Maine | 2,990 |
| 4 | Ohio | 17,212 | 29 | Minnesota | 2,990 |
| 5 | Kentucky | 16,541 | 30 | Utah | 2,748 |
| 6 | West Virginia | 13,552 | 31 | Nevada | 2,546 |
| 7 | Indiana | 12,991 | 32 | Vermont | 2,215 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 11,544 | 33 | Iowa | 2,161 |
| 9 | Texas | 11,162 | 34 | Massachusetts | 1,987 |
| 10 | California | 10,631 | 35 | Pennsylvania | 1,973 |
| 11 | Louisiana | 10,605 | 36 | Mississippi | 1,898 |
| 12 | South Carolina | 10,023 | 37 | Montana | 1,740 |
| 13 | Virginia | 9,425 | 38 | Kansas | 1,739 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 9,089 | 39 | Wisconsin | 1,714 |
| 15 | New York | 8,877 | 40 | Nebraska | 1,676 |
| 16 | Maryland | 8,211 | 41 | Colorado | 1,644 |
| 17 | Alaska | 7,250 | 42 | Rhode Island | 1,399 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 7,029 | 43 | New Mexico | 1,347 |
| 19 | Arkansas | 4,567 | 44 | Wyoming | 1,101 |
| 20 | Idaho | 4,506 | 45 | South Dakota | 916 |
| 21 | New Jersey | 4,480 | 46 | Delaware | 851 |
| 22 | Alabama | 4,079 | 47 | North Dakota | 268 |
| 23 | Tennessee | 3,897 | 48 | Oregon | 185 |
| 24 | Connecticut | 3,865 | |||
| 25 | Washington | 3,451 | Total Votes | 360,433 |
This contest, while humorous in nature, demonstrates significant public support and pride for local law enforcement. The impressive voter turnout — over 360,000 votes — shows that for many Americans, the appearance of patrol cars is an important symbol of state identity. Florida, which has now shown the best result for the fourth year in a row, has apparently found the perfect combination of design and marketing that resonates with voters. It will be interesting to see if any other state can challenge this dominance next year, especially given that Michigan was very close to victory this time.
