Jacksonville, Fl — A head-to-head race to replace the late Tommy Hazouri on the Jacksonville City Council at-large group 3 appears to be settled. Republican Nick Howland is the projected winner according to vote totals from the Duval Supervisor of Elections office. Howland holds a lead greater than the number of votes that are left to be counted.
At the end of the election cycle, voter turnout was 20.27%, which is a little more than what the supervisor’s office had predicted on Monday of a little more than 17%.
The Republican Party of Duval County celebrated Howland’s win.
VICTORY! Duval County Flips Republican, Nick Howland Wins! With Nick's victory, for the first time in history Republicans control every countywide elected office in Jacksonville. #jaxpol #flapol pic.twitter.com/Owj0HKJHnh
— Republican Party of Duval County (@DuvalGOP) February 23, 2022
Thank you all for all your tireless work and congratulations again to Councilman-elect Nick Howland. Now, onward to new victories for Governor Ron DeSantis and all of our Republican nominees in November!
— Republican Party of Duval County (@DuvalGOP) February 23, 2022
WE DID IT,
Dean Black
Chairman, Republican Party of Duval County
After most of the votes were counted, Duval Dems released the following statement conceding defeat.
“Although Dr. Tracye Polson was unsuccessful tonight, we are immensely proud of the campaign she ran. We know that Polson deeply cares about our community and dedicated the last 4-months to spreading her message to voters. “As we reflect on this race, one thing is clear, Nick Howland ran a campaign riddled with deception and mistruths. While he occupies this council seat temporarily, we are committed to holding him accountable for every decision he will make on City Council. The late Councilman Tommy Hazouri dedicated his life to fighting for the people of Duval County. We will continue Tommy’s fighting spirit and hold all public officials accountable. “As we move forward, we encourage our voters to remain engaged and continue to make their voices heard.”
Tracye Polson and Nick Howland finished neck and neck in a special election in mid-December with just 632 votes separating them.
WOKV Political Analyst Rick Mullaney says crime, downtown development, and infrastructure were cited as the top issues in a recent UNF poll.
LISTEN: Rick Mullaney on turnout, key issues in special election
Mullaney said turnout would be crucial for both candidates. Turnout was nearly 12% in early voting, with Democrat voters outpacing Republicans by around 5%. 9% of early voters were registered No Party Affiliation.
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