Jacksonville City Council Election 2023

[Charles Hunter]

With the mid-terms less than a month away, focus will soon shift to Jacksonville's local elections in Spring 2023.

A coalition of civil rights and voting rights organizations and individuals sued the City claiming the drawing of district lines for the City Council after the 2020 Census unfairly packed Black voters into a few districts. A Federal Judge agreed with them.
https://jaxtrib.org/2022/10/12/federal-judge-strikes-down-jacksonville-city-council-districts-as-racial-gerrymanders/

A federal judge has barred Jacksonville from using its City Council and Duval School Board district maps, finding that seven City Council and three School Board districts were likely racially gerrymandered.

U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard found the City Council likely had used race as a predominant factor in drawing the maps in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. Black voters, she ruled, have been segregated based on race, which has ensured they won’t have a “meaningful impact on any election or a meaningful voice on any issue of concern.”

This means the city will get a second chance at redrawing the maps, and then the plaintiffs could challenge that new map and propose their own. The city must enact its new map by Nov. 8. Plaintiffs may submit alternative proposals if they object by Nov. 18.

[Charles Hunter]

Candidate Qualifying has closed, and the SOE's website lists the candidates for each of the 19 races:
https://www.duvalelections.com/Candidates-And-Committees/Candidate/Committee-Lists-Reports-Profiles

Three races only drew a single candidate, all Republicans:
District 4 - Kevin Carrico
At-Large 3 - Nick Howland
At-Large 4 - Matt Carlucci

Districts 2, 3, 5, and 6 only have Republican candidates
Republicans have candidates in each of the 19 Council races

This is my best stab at deciphering the SOE's website. Some races show a candidate as "Active - Qualified" and "Active - Redesignated" on 2 separate lines (Tyrona Clark-Murray, D9, for example), and I don't know what that means. If it says "Active - Qualified" I included the person in my count.

Some notable names:
Ken Amaro is running as a Republican in District 1 to replace fellow former TV newsperson Joyce Morgan in District 1 (old Arlington area)

Both Kim Daniels and Brenda Priestly-Jackson are listed as "Withdrawn" from the D10 race.

Alberta Hipps [R] is running to rejoin the Council in District 14

[Florida Power And Light]

I remember Alberta.
An Environmental issue drove her involvement.
And now, that area, long established folks are moving out.
Non News.

[marcuscnelson]

Obviously the election was yesterday.

In the at-large Council seats, Terrence Freeman won Group 1 by over 30%, while Ron Salem somewhat narrowly pushed past Joshua Hicks for Group 2. Charles Garrison and Chris Miller are heading to a runoff in Group 5.

Former anchor Ken Amaro won District 1 by over 30%. Lindsey Brock and Mike Gay are going to runoff in District 2. Will Lahnen, Joe Carlucci, and Michael Boylan have won Districts 3, 5, and 6, respectively. Joseph Hogan and Jimmy Peluso are going to runoff in District 7, as are Reggie Gaffney Jr. and Tameka Gaines Holly in District 8, and Tyrona Clark-Murray and Mike Muldoon in District 9. Ju’Coby Pittman easily won reelection in District 10, as did Randy White in District 12, but Raul Arias and Ramon Day are going to runoff in District 11. Rory Diamond only faced a write-in challenge, and won District 13 with 87%, and finally District 14 will be a runoff between John Draper and Rahman Johnson.

7 Council seats (Group 5, Districts 2, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14) will be up for election in May, alongside the Mayor (Daniel Davis vs. Donna Deegan) and Property Appraiser (Jason Fischer vs. Joyce Morgan).

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2023/mar/21/donna-deegan-daniel-davis-to-face-off-in-jacksonville-mayoral-runoff/

[marcuscnelson]

Polls closed less than an hour ago.

As mentioned in the other thread, it appears that Donna Deegan will be the next Mayor of Jacksonville, defeating Daniel Davis.

As of now, Joyce Morgan appears set for a narrow victory over Jason Fischer to be the next Property Appraiser, but that >1% margin could narrow as the final votes are counted.

Chris Miller appears to have defeated Charles Garrison for At-Large Seat 5.

Mike Gay (2), Jimmy Peluso (7), Reggie Gaffney Jr. (8 ), Tyrona Clark-Murray (9), Raul Arias (11), and Rahman Johnson (14) appear to have emerged victorious to join City Council.

Results from the Duval County Supervisor of Elections are available here.

[jaxlongtimer]

Unfortunately, Deegan could have her hands full with this new City Council.  Seems it has more than its share of partisan hacks who could continue putting politics over good governance.  Hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

[fsu813]

Unfortunately, Deegan could have her hands full with this new City Council.  Seems it has more than its share of partisan hacks who could continue putting politics over good governance.  Hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

Council should be more moderate than in recent years, and that's a very good thing.