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Local election results
The unofficial results of yesterday's general election are in. Here are some of the highlights across North Central Florida.
In Alachua County, Mary Alford won county commission district 1 and Anna Prizzia won county commission district 3. Kim Barton remains the county supervisor of elections.
In one of the region’s most expensive races, Alachua County sheriff candidate Emery Gainey spent 225,000 dollars, only for his night to end in a mandatory recount against Democratic opponent Chad Scott. The difference between votes for Gainey and Scott was less than three-tenths of 1%, or 395 votes.
There were a number of local amendments on the ballot. The Alachua County one mill tax passed. An amendment to elect Alachua County Commissioners on an at-large basis also passed.
Gainesville voters decided to transfer control of Gainesville Regional Utilities back to the city.
In Marion County, voters established a half-cent sales surtax to fund school infrastructure projects and improvements.
High Springs had four city charter amendments on the ballot, all of which passed.
- Amendment 1 updates the city’s corporate boundary to that of the present-day boundary.
- Amendment 2 allows for electronic advertisement of public notices. It
- Amendment 3 requires commissioners and charter officers to swear under oath they are allowed and able to hold office.
- Amendment 4 updates the names of public parks and adds the Sports Complex to the list of publicly owned lands.
Two sheriffs secured third terms, each approaching nearly a decade in office. In Putnam County, Homer “Gator” DeLoach defeated opponent Edison Edison, securing 83% of the vote. Suwannee County Sheriff Sam St. John won in a landslide race against no-party affiliate candidate Harry K. Weaver.
There was a major upset in the Columbia County Commissioner race. Kevin Parnell toppled Ron Williams, who has served as an elected official for more than 30 years. Williams raised roughly $8,000 and spent less than 10% of it.
Mark Cioffi of the Hernando County School Board race spent nearly 20 times his opponent, Michelle Bonczek, and lost.
Scroll through our live blog of election night for a complete recap of results in north central Florida.
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State level election results
In the Florida Legislature, Judson Sapp won House District 20, Chad Johnson won House District 22 and Stan McClain won Senate District 9.
Brian Kramer is the new State Attorney for the 8th Circuit.
Kat Cammack secured a third term for U.S. House District 3, and Michael Waltz won the U.S. House District 6 seat.
There were six statewide ballot initiatives up to voters this year:
- Amendment 1 - Partisan Election of School Board Members failed
- Amendment 2 - Right to Hunt and Fish passed
- Amendment 3 - Adult Personal Use of Marijuana failed
- Amendment 4 - Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion failed
- Amendment 5 - Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemptions passed
- Amendment 6 Repeal of Public Campaign Financing Requirements failed
From NPR News
• Donald Trump has won the presidential election and will return to the White House.
• Republicans will control the U.S. Senate.
• Two Black women will serve together in the Senate for the first time.
• Sarah McBride becomes the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.
• Who's paying to elect the president?
• Photos: See what Election Day looked like across the country.
• Baby Haggis is the new Moo Deng: A pygmy hippo is born in Edinburgh.
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.