It was a low voter turnout primary here in Northeast Florida with just over 25% of registered voters casting ballots in Duval County. Out of 637,753 registered voters, 161,837 people exercised their right to vote, according to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections.
More Florida voters chose to vote by mail for this primary, most likely because of safety concerns around the coronavirus pandemic.
But the overall voter turnout for this election still wasn’t that high in most counties.
Fla. Primary Returns: Baker | Clay | Duval | Flagler | Nassau | Putnam | St. Johns | U.S. House Races | State
Clay and St. Johns counties were at almost 33% each, while Nassau County saw about 37% of voters cast ballots.
Looking at some of the race results across the First Coast, Duval County Judge Erin Perry lost her first election attempt to Rhonda Peoples Waters.
Related: Local, State And National 2020 Election News
Former Atlantic Beach Police Chief Michelle Cook is well positioned to be the next sheriff of Clay County after emerging atop a six-way Republican field that included former Sheriff Darryl Daniels, who was suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday. Cook, who received just over 37% of the vote, faces a write-in challenger in November. Daniels finished in second place, with 29 %.
After 16 years, St. John’s County is getting a new sheriff. St. Augustine Beach Chief of Police Rob Hardwick sailed to a victory. Sheriff David Shoar is retiring. Republican voters selected Hardwick by a 69%-30% margin over former St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Director Chris Strickland.
Kat Cammack won a 10-candidate Republican primary for Congress. Cammack was the former deputy chief of staff of retiring U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho. That was in District 3, which stretches from Clay County west to Gainesville.
Cammack’ s 25% of the vote propels her into the general election to face Democrat Adam Christensen.
Jennifer Bradley, spouse of retiring state Sen. Rob Bradley of Fleming Island, defeated Jason Holifield in the Republican primary for Florida Senate District 5. She will face Democrat Melina Barratt in the general election.
Community organizer Angie Nixon easily defeated Kimberly Daniels in the Democratic primary in Duval County’s House District 14. With only a write-in opponent on the November ballot, the primary win virtually assured that Nixon will become the district’s next representative.
Daniels drew criticism from some other Democrats, in part because of her support for issues such as school vouchers and abortion restrictions. Nixon raised more money than Daniels and had the support of labor unions and some trial attorneys, two key groups in Democratic politics.
Two Duval County School Board members, Warren Jones and Lori Hershey, retained their seats. They will be joined by newcomers Kelly Coker and Cindy Pearson.
For Jacksonville City Council District 4, Democrat Nicole Hamm defeated two other Republican challengers.
In District 12, Incumbent Rep. Clay Yarborough easily dispatched Republican challenger Colin McArthur. Yarbough will square off with Emmanuel Blimie in the general election.
In District 13, Incumbent Rep. Tracie Davis won 64% of the vote against Democratic challenger Cynthia Smith.
Michelle Corum can be reached at mcorum@wjct.org, 904-358-6308 or on Twitter at @MCorumonME.
