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Majority vote not reached in Gainesville special election, will require a runoff election in January

Candidates Cynthia Chestnut and Matt Howland will face off in a runoff election on Tuesday, Jan. 25, to decide who will be elected to the Gainesville City Commission seat. (Matthew Bell/WUFT News; Jake Reyes/WUFT News)
Candidates Cynthia Chestnut and Matt Howland will face off in a runoff election on Tuesday, Jan. 25, to decide who will be elected to the Gainesville City Commission seat. (Matthew Bell/WUFT News; Jake Reyes/WUFT News)

With a 50.1% majority not reached by one of the candidates, Cynthia Chestnut and Matt Howland will face off in a special runoff election on Jan. 25, 2022. 

Chestnut received 46.06% of votes and Howland received 41.24% of the 11,725 votes counted, according to the official summary from the supervisor of election's office. There were total 11,736 ballots cast in the special election, or 13% of all registered voters.

At Chestnut’s watch party, she declared the night as a success for her campaign and looks forward to running again in January. 

Election procedures in January will follow the same early voting schedule as this election, with official dates being released later, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Kim Barton.

Jacquelyn is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.