While five City Council seats are headed to a runoff on May 14, 10 seats were won Tuesday night with more than 50 percent of the vote.
Four additional candidates or incumbents automatically won because they didn't face opponents.
Republican Ron Salem won the At Large – Group 2 seat, beating Democrat Darren Mason 56.83 to 43.17 percent. Salem will replace Councilman John Crescimbeni, a Democrat who lost his bid for tax collector to Republican Jim Overton on Tuesday.
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Former Republican City Council President Matt Carlucci will be returning to City Hall. He posted a strong 71.4 percent win in the At Large – Group 4 race, beating Republicans Harold McCart, with 10.95 percent, and former District 4 City Councilman Don Redman, with 17.56 percent.
Republican Samuel Newby held onto his At Large – Group 5 seat with 53.53 percent of the vote. He beat Democrat Chad McIntyre, who had 38.78 percent of the vote, and Niki Brunson, who garnered 7.69 percent. Brunson ran with no party affiliation.
Arlington's incumbent Democratic Councilwoman Joyce Morgan won a tight win re-election race in District 1, beating former Republican City Council President Bill Bishop 51.39 percent to 48.61 percent.
In District 2, incumbent Republican Councilman Al Ferraro will be returning to City Hall following his 70.89 percent victory over Democrat Carson Tranquille. District 2 includes Mayport and East Arlington.
District 4 Republican Councilman Scott Wilson won re-election against Democrat Timothy Yost with 66.56 percent. His district covers much of the Southside, including the St. Johns Town Center area.
Former WJCT CEO Michael Boylan won his bid to join the City Council. The Republican won Mandarin's District 6 seat, beating fellow Republican Rose Conry 53.31 percent to 46.69 percent. Analysts are calling the race an upset because Conry had raised much more campaign cash than Boylan did by a large margin.
In District 7, which covers much of the Eastside and Northside of Jacksonville, incumbent Democratic Councilman Reggie Gaffney will be returning with a decisive 60.06 percent victory against fellow Democrats Nahshon Nicks, at 8.79 percent; Solomon Olopade, at 14.89 percent and Sharise V. Riley, at 16.27 percent.
Another incumbent returning to City Hall is District 9 Democratic Councilman Garrett Dennis, Mayor Lenny Curry's most outspoken critic on the council. He came away with 60.02 percent of the vote against fellow Democat Marcellus Daniel Holmes III, who had 39.98 percent. District 9 covers parts of Northwest Jacksonville.
The far Westside's District 12 voters also decided to keep their current councilman. Incumbent Republican Randy White got 67.51 percent of the vote against Republican David A. Taylor.
The following Council members won reelection by virtue of being unopposed:
- District 3 Republican Council President Aaron Bowman will continue to represent the area just west of the Intracoastal Waterway
- The Southside's District 11 Republican Councilman Danny Becton
In District 5, which covers San Marco, St. Nicholas and the neighborhoods to their south, Republican LeAnna Cumber was unopposed. She will replace outgoing Republican Councilwoman Lori Boyer.
And in the Beaches' District 13, Republican Neptune Beach Councilor and K9s for Warriors CEO Rory Diamond was unopposed. Diamond will replace outgoing Republican Councilman Bill Gulliford.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
