Voters of Alachua County reelected incumbent Democrat Kim Barton on Tuesday night. Barton secured the victory with 62% of votes. This election marked the first time Barton has run in a contested race.
Barton, 62, is the first Black person to serve as the supervisor of elections in Alachua County. She graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications in 1985 with a degree in advertising.
She expressed excitement Tuesday night about being re-elected to serve Alachua County voters. The election cycle saw significant voter interest, resulting in an 84% turnout, which surprised even the supervisor. Barton acknowledged the high voter engagement and emphasized the importance of voters' choices in elections.
Barton started serving in the office as the first outreach coordinator in 1993 and was promoted to outreach director. She was voted into office in 2016. She has served two terms.
Her passion for voting stemmed from her parents, Barton said. They were involved in the civil rights era and were active community organizers. Her parents were also participants in voter registration efforts and get-out-the-vote campaigns.
Barton said she is passionate about continuing the progress toward better voter accessibility, access and transparency in Alachua County. She thinks that her accomplishments and visions for voting align with what Alachua County needs.
Barton raised $35,358 for her campaign. Her opponent, Judith Jensen, totaled $20,271 in campaign contributions.
Diego Perdomo contributed reporting.