Special Report from WUFT News
The returns, the emotions: See Election Day photos from around Gainesville
Below, see our complete local coverage below or use this index to jump to recaps of the races you care most about. Winners are bolded as they emerge. All results are unofficial until certified by county canvassing boards.
Governor
The drive by Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D) to become Florida’s first black governor failed as congressman Ron DeSantis edged him out by one percent of the vote.
Congress
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson faces a neck-and-neck challenge from Gov. Rick Scott. The race was too close to call as of midnight.
U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho (R) earned a fourth term representing Alachua, Clay, Putnam, Union and part of Marion counties in District 3. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, who last held elected office as a Gainesville city commissioner in 2015, represented the Democratic Party in the race.
State Senate
Incumbent Republican Keith Perry held off Democratic challenger Kayser Enneking, with non-party affiliated Charles Goston running as an outsider. Goston defeated Hayes Hinson to win a Gainesville city commission seat before then losing himself earlier in 2018.
State House
District 21 Republican incumbent Chuck Clemons beat Democrat Jason Haeseler by a 3 percent margin.
Voters faced a crowded field in District 10, which covers Baker, Columbia, Hamilton, and Suwannee counties. Ultimately, Republican Chuck Brannan beat Democrat Ronald Williams, along with unaffiliated Merrillee Malwitz Jipson and Fred Martin, to represent the northern Florida district.
Alachua County Commission
Marihelen Wheeler (Democrat) defeated Gregory Caudill (Libertarian), and Scott Costello (no party affiliation).
Alachua County School Board
Incumbent school board chairman Gunnar Paulson easily hung onto his seat with 54 percent of the vote over April Tisher in a runoff contest.
Alachua County Judge and Circuit 8 Judge
Meshon Rawls beat Craig DeThomasis for a six-year term as county judge.
The Circuit 8 Group 8 justice position, also in a runoff, went to Gloria Walker over David Robertson.
Contested races in other area counties
Bradford County Commission
Incumbent Kenny Thomas (R) with more than 50 percent of the vote fended off Jamie Clemons and John Crawford (both non-party affiliated) for the District 2 county commission seat. Danny Riddick (R) was assured a win as the other incumbent — in District 4 — as he defeated a write-in candidate, Stasia Rudolph.
Citrus County Commission
Republican Ronald Kitchen won a second term as District 2 county commissioner by collecting 70 percent of the vote over David Gregory, who has no party affiliation. Kitchen had a sizable spending lead at $52,000-plus to Gregory’s less than $3,000.
Scott Carnahan (R) will serve another four years in District 4 after getting 65 percent of the vote and outspending his challenger, Democrat Wendy Williams, by about $34,000.
Columbia County School Board
Narrie Smith holds a narrow lead of some 36 votes over Danny Green for control of District 1, with Green the incumbent since 2014. Incumbent Stephanie Finnell faced a tough but ultimately unsuccessful challenge from Hunter Peeler, who outspent Finnell by nearly $15,000. Finnell won with 55 percent of vote.
Both races were non-partisan.
Dixie County Commission
Newcomer John Driggers Jr. took over the seat previously held by Jason Holifield, who decided not to run again. Driggers Jr. defeated fellow newcomer Jamie Storey with 60 percent of the vote; both ran as non-party affiliates.
Hernando County Commission
Republican Wayne Dukes defeated Democrat Deborah Salvesen with nearly 60 percent of the vote. He outspent her by nearly $50,000.
Marion County School Board
Sixty percent of the board’s composition had the potential to change, with seats three, four and five all contested.
District 3 incumbent Bobby James is retiring, with newcomer Eric Cummings taking over with 56 percent of the vote against Ed Wilson. In District 4, Nancy Thrower unseated incumbent Angie Boynton, while District 5 incumbent Kelly King beat Shelia Arnett.
In addition, voters chose to cede future selections of the superintendent to the school board, which will now appoint them instead of having voters decide.
Putnam County Commission and School Board
Incumbent Chip Laibl (D) outspent Republican Jeff Rawls by about $10,000 in what was an ultimately unsuccessful bid to retain his District 2 seat on the county commission. Rawls won by a 53 to 46 percent margin.
With incumbent Kathy Jorgensen deciding not to pursue another term as District 4 school board member, Bud McInnis beat Linda Lou Osborne with 52 percent of the vote.
Union County Commission
District 2 commissioner Woody Kitler did not run for reelection, opening the race to Democrat Channing Dobbs and Republican Nancy Griffis. Combined, the two have spent just over $500 on this election, and Dobbs made the most of it with a victory margin of more than 40 percentage points.
Fresh off her primary win over incumbent Thomas Nettles, Republican Lacey Cannon defeated Democrat M. Wayne Smith in District 4 with nearly 67 percent of the vote. He outspent her by about $3,000.