Red wave sweeps over Forgotten Coast

Forehand, Cook elected tax collectors

If there was any question that Democrats still held a seat at the elected officials’ tables in Franklin and Gulf counties, it was answered last week at the ballot box.

Republicans took both of the countywide tax collector spots up for grabs in the two counties, as well as the one contested commissioner seat in Franklin County.

In addition, a large majority of votes went to the Republicans running for federal and state office, topped of course by President-elect Donald Trump, who won 71 percent of the vote in Franklin County, and more than 76 percent of the vote in Gulf.

In Gulf, Trump won nine of 10 precincts, with the exception of the Port St. Joe fire station, where Democratic candidate Kamala Harris took 52.5 percent of the vote. In Franklin, Trump won seven of eight precincts, the only exception being a portion of Apalachicola where Harris took 55 percent of the vote.

Turnout in Franklin County was the highest of all 67 of Florida’s counties, better than 96 percent. In fact, in one precinct, the outskirts of Apalachicola, the turnout was slightly more than 100 percent, as 762 out of 759 registered voters cast ballots.

The explanation for this, said Supervisor of Elections, is that state law allows already registered people to make address changes on the day of the election, and so they can cast ballots where they are otherwise not previously registered.

“I am overwhelmed and proud of the voters in Franklin County for taking this election seriously and taking it to heart and coming out in record numbers,” said Riley. “Everybody showed up and did their part. This turnout was due to election workers, and the parties and the candidates who worked tirelessly.”

In Gulf County, the turnout was close to 78 percent, exceeding Elections Supervisor John Hanlon’ expectations.

In Gulf County. Republican U.S. senator Rick Scott did even better than Trump, as he collected close to 78 percent of the vote against Democrat Debbie Murcasel-Powell.

In Franklin County, Scott did only slightly better than Trump, winning 71.6 percent, as did U.S. Congressman Neal Dunn, who took 74 percent of the vote to Democrat Yen Bailey’s 26 percent.

State Senator Corey Simon, who was also a victor over Democratic challenger Daryl Parks, won 74 percent of the vote in Franklin County, and better than  78 percent of the vote in Gulf.

State Rep. Jason Shoaf had a better showing in Gulf, with 78 percent of the vote to the 73 percent he posted in Franklin, as he swamped Democratic challenger Kenny Beasley.

In the two tax collector races, Republican Ashley Forehand collected 66 percent of the vote in Gulf County, to down Democrat Candye Lewis, who took just one precinct, the Port St. Joe fire station, where she received 65 percent of the vote.

In Franklin, Republican Amy Cook had a tougher race, as she won 57 percent of the vote against Teresa Martin, a Republican running without party affiliation. Martin took just one precinct, inside the city of Apalachicola, where she garnered better than 63 percent of the vote.

In the two other races in Franklin County, incumbent Republican county commissioner Anthony Croom, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, won 60 percent of the votes over Democrat Elinor Mount-Simmons. He now has been elected to a full four-year term.

Incumbent Republican Steve Lanier took close to 74 percent of the vote in securing another four-year term as school superintendent, as he defeated Democrat Jill Rudd.

In addition to approving the retention of all the judges on the ballot, voters in Gulf and Franklin counties both opposed the state constitutional amendment securing the right to abortion, with 60 percent of Gulf voting no, and 55 percent in Franklin voting nay. The amendment lost statewide.

Both counties overwhelmingly supported the right to hunt and fish constitutional amendment, 81 percent in Gulf and 73 percent in Franklin, and it passed statewide. 

The recreational marijuana amendment got majority support in Franklin, with 55 percent, while it was narrower in Gulf, with just 51 percent. The amendment lost statewide.

The amendment to make school boards partisan got stronger support in Gulf, with 62 percent support, than it did in Franklin, where it got 56 percent of the vote. The amendment was defeated statewide.

Voters in both counties liked the idea of pegging a portion of the homestead exemption to inflation, a measure that passed statewide. In Franklin , 63 percent of voters liked the idea, white 67 percent in Gulf were in favor. 

The vote to end public financing of statewide elections, which failed statewide, was supported by half of Franklin County voters, while in Gulf County 55 percent of voters liked the idea.