Alachua County’s general election ended on Nov. 5 with nearly 140,000 votes cast. This election season, voters had the chance to cast ballots for the presidential election as well as seven local and state races.
Voters also had the opportunity to vote on multiple local referendums and six state amendments. Amendments 3 and 4, which would legalize recreational marijuana and limit government interference for abortions, both failed. State amendments need 60% public approval to pass, while local referendums only need a majority to vote in favor.
Local races included two Alachua County Commission seats, two state House of Representative seats, one state Senate seat, one U.S. House of Representatives seat, the sheriff’s race and the supervisor of elections position.
The county has seen about 84% voter turnout according to the county’s turnout tracker.
Turnout was about 75% in 2020, though there was a larger number of eligible voters during that cycle.
Early voting ended Nov. 3. Over half of Alachua County had cast a ballot at an early polling location or by mail. The J. Wayne Reitz Union, the only UF on-campus precinct, saw record turnout during this election cycle.
Local referendums
The Alachua County referendum for at-large districts passed with over 70% in favor. In 2022, Alachua County decided to change county commissioners to be elected by single-member districts — meaning one designated area of a county voted for one commissioner. This amendment overturns the 2022 referendum and returns county commissioners to being elected by at-large districts, which means all Alachua County voters will pick each commissioner.
The School Board One Mill referendum passed by about 76%. The One Mill tax is a property tax which will bring increased funds to school programs throughout Alachua County. It was first approved in 2008.
The Gainesville Charter Amendment for public utilities passed by about 72%. The referendum will return the ownership of GRU to the city commission, rather than being overseen by the state-appointed board called the GRU Authority. The state officially took control of GRU following HB 1645 in 2023, but received community backlash from its inception.
All four High Springs amendments passed, each by over 70%. The amendments pertain to updating corporate boundaries, updating public notice requirements, updating oath of office and the city’s ability to alter appropriations and reductions and updating public owned lands.
Local seats
Gainesville Women For Harris hosts an election night watch party at Heartwood Soundstage on Nov. 5, 2024.
Incumbent Democratic candidate Mary Alford won the Alachua County Commissioner District 1 seat over Republican Elizabeth Doebler. Holding over 60% of the vote, Alford was reelected to the seat she first won in 2020.
“This has been the toughest election that I've had in terms of…dark money, there were ugly things around, and that made me sad,” Alford said. “I have really strong feelings about what you know we need to do for Alachua County, and am so grateful that the voters agree.”
Another incumbent, Democratic candidate Anna Prizzia, has secured a second term in District 3 of the Alachua County Commission against Republican Jean Garrett. For her next term, Prizzia said she will continue the plans she’s had since initially being elected.
“My main plan is to stick with what I’ve been doing so far, which is about listening, collaborating and trying to find sort of solutions to root causes of our challenging problems,” Prizzia said.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s race remains undecided. With fewer than 400 votes separating Democratic candidate Chad Scott and Republican candidate Emery Gainey, the race was too close to be called on Election night, according to Aaron Klein, spokesperson for Alachua County’s Supervisor of Elections.
All mail-in ballots must be fully counted before an official call is made, Klein said.
Scott currently holds a narrow lead, with 46.96% of the vote while Gainey holds 46.67%. The non-partisan candidate, Pamela Marshall-Koons, has only about 6% of the vote.
At a campaign event, Scott claimed a premature victory for himself.
“We put in a lot of hard work,” he said, “and because of it, we won.”
Emery Gainey, who was previously appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, said he intends to abide by whatever decision is released.
“There most likely will be a recount,” Gainey said.
Democratic incumbent Kim Barton won reelection by about 60% of the vote as Alachua County Supervisor of Elections in a victory against Republican challenger Judith Jensen.
Florida seats
Florida State Representative Chad Johnson claps in approval as election results are shown on a television at Stonehouse Neighborhood Grill in Newberry, FL, on Nov. 5, 2024.
Republican Stan McClain won the Florida Senate District 9 seat against Democratic candidate Sylvain Doré. Despite winning the majority of the votes in Alachua County, Doré lost the lead in Levy and Marion County, which are included in the district.
McClain formerly served as a Florida House Representative for District 27, which encompasses parts of Lake County, Marion County and Volusia County. Prior to serving in the Florida House, he was a Marion County Commissioner beginning in 2004, and currently resides in Summerfield, Florida.
Republican incumbent Chuck Brannan won the Florida House District 10 seat against newcomer Democratic candidate Bobby Brady. The seat encompasses Union, Bradford, Columbia and Baker Counties and the northern half of Alachua County.
“When you’re on the ballot for two years, you’re running all the time,” Brannan said. “That makes you stay on your toes and makes you really attentive to your constituents.”
Republican Chad Johnson won the Florida House District 22 seat against Democratic candidate David Arreola. Johnson lost Alachua County but won in both Levy and Gilchrist Counties. The three make up the House district.
“There’s so many different emotions — you’re excited because you won the victory, but then also the sudden realization that you have a major job as responsibility,” Johnson said, moments after winning. “It’s got weight, but right now, it’s just the thrill.”
State amendments
Christian protester “JK” lectures students as UF College Democrats’ Connor Effrain hands him a voter’s guide on Nov. 5, 2024.
All state amendments on the ballot needed to receive 60% of the vote in order for them to pass.
Amendment 1 failed with about 55% in favor.
If passed, Amendment 1 would have made all school board elections partisan races from the 2026 election cycle onward. Currently, it is up to the discretion of each individual county whether or not to bring politics into the board by making candidates list their political affiliations, and will remain as such.
Amendment 2 passed with about 67% in favor.
With Amendment 2 passed, the right to hunting and fishing will now be enshrined in Florida’s constitution. The amendment states that fishing and hunting will become the preferred method for “responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife" and "shall be preserved forever as a public right."
Fishing and hunting regulations are currently set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Amendment 3 failed with about 56% in favor. The amendment would have allowed for adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase or use up to three ounces of marijuana products recreationally. In order to gain ballot access, the amendment was approved by the Florida Supreme Court on April 1 and acquired over 1 million voter signatures. Under current Florida law, marijuana is legal only for medical use.
Amendment 4 failed with about 57% in favor. Amendment 4 said that no law could restrict abortion before viability, which most healthcare professionals say is around 24 weeks. The amendment was expected to reinstate the protections that existed before the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. The referendum received over 900,000 signatures in support before gaining ballot access.
Abortions in Florida are currently and will continue to be restricted by the Heartbeat Protection Act, which was upheld by the Florida Supreme Court on April 1. The legislation prohibits all elective abortion procedures in the state after the six-week pregnancy mark, with exceptions up to 15 weeks for documented instances of rape and incest.
Amendment 5 passed with about 66% in favor.
In Florida, property tax rates are currently mandated by counties, school districts, cities and special districts. Homes in Florida are assessed at their market value, with the homestead exemption subtracted, according to Ballotpedia.
The homestead exemption will now make every primary residence eligible for up to $50,000 in exemption from all taxes except school district taxes. This means for a house that is $300,000, property taxes will only be paid on $250,000 of the home’s value.
However, for non-school taxes, the amendment will provide for an annual inflation adjustment for the value of the homestead property tax exemption. This adjustment will be recalculated every year on Jan. 1 based on the percent change in the consumer price index, which analyzes inflation annually.
The amendment is slated to go into effect Jan. 1, 2025.
Amendment 6 failed with about 50% in favor. If passed, Amendment 6 would have ended Florida’s public campaign financing program. The program currently provides an incentive for candidates to agree to election spending limits by providing public campaign financing for statewide elections.
In order to qualify for the public campaign financing program, a candidate must be running in a contested race for governor or an elected cabinet member and agree to expenditure limits.
The program is slated to continue.
Federal Seats
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) won her seat by about 60% against Democratic nominee Tom Wells. For the past four years, Cammack has held the seat which encompasses the entirety of Alachua County along with 11 other North Central Florida counties.
“I’m so proud to represent this amazing district and to keep up our continued momentum. It’s time to keep fighting!” Cammack posted on X.
Incumbent Republican candidate Rick Scott won Florida’s Senate seat by about 56%, beating Democratic candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Scott was first elected to senate in 2018 after formerly serving as the 45th Governor of Florida.
“THANK YOU, FLORIDA! I’m honored to serve as your Senator for another six years! Tomorrow, we begin the fight to Make Washington WORK Again!” Scott posted on X.
Once a crucial swing state, Florida has been leaning more conservative in the past decade, with Donald Trump winning the state in the past three election cycles. In the 2024 cycle, Trump won about 56% of the popular vote and took the state’s 30 electoral votes.
Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp, Avery Parker, Natalie Kaufman, Bailey Diem, Sara-James Ranta, Julia Levi, Kairi Lowery, Delia Rose Sauer, Zoey Thomas and Vivienne Serret contributed to this report.
Contact Morgan Vanderlaan at mvanderlaan@alligator.org. Follow her on X @morgvande.
Morgan Vanderlaan is a second year Political Science major and the Fall 2024 Politics Enterprise Reporter. When she's not on the clock she can be found writing, reciting, and watching theatre!
