ELECTION 2020: Results from Escambia and Santa Rosa races, referendums
9:30 p.m. | State Rep. Jayer Williamson easily secured third term in House District 3
Republican incumbent state Rep. Jayer Williamson secured his third, two-year term in the Florida House District 3 seat Tuesday, winning the general election by nearly 56,000 votes over Democratic nominee Angela Hoover.
Williamson picked up 76.5% of the votes in the district, which includes Santa Rosa County and part of Okaloosa County. That accounted for 80,814 votes, according to the unofficial election results.
Hoover secured 23.5% of the vote, or 24,821 ballots.
Read the full story here: Republican state Rep. Jayer Williamson easily wins House District 3 race
Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide
Contributed by Jake Newby
9:10 p.m. | Santa Rosa County approves extending half-cent Local Option Sales Tax
Santa Rosa County voters overwhelmingly approved extending the half-cent Local Option Sales Tax on Tuesday night.
Approval of the referendum gives the county another five years to collect the sales tax that goes toward law enforcement, infrastructure improvements, parks and other county amenities.
With all 41 precincts reporting, 70% of voters approved the tax extension and 30% opposed it.
The current referendum is an extension of the existing Local Option Sales Tax, which was first passed in 2016 and is slated to sunset in 2021. Since it has now been approved by voters, the half-cent sales tax will continue for another five years beginning Jan. 1, 2022.
Read the full story here: Santa Rosa voters overwhelmingly approve half-cent sales tax extension
Contributed by Annie Blanks
9:05 p.m. | Santa Rosa becomes Florida's first pro-life sanctuary
Santa Rosa County is officially Florida's first "pro-life sanctuary."
Voters approved the sanctuary for life referendum with 58% of the vote compared to 42% who opposed it, throwing their support behind the ballot measure that symbolically declares the county anti-abortion.
Counties in Texas and Mississippi passed their own similar resolutions earlier this year.
Santa Rosa County lawmakers debated adopting the resolution in February but ultimately decided to leave it up to voters after several heated County Commission meetings brought out fierce advocates on both sides of the issue.
Read the full story here:Santa Rosa County becomes first "sanctuary for life" county in Florida
Contributed by Annie Blanks
9 p.m. | Navarre Beach fire district referendum passes
Navarre Beach firefighters were successful in their second attempt to establish a special fire district, which will give them access to state funding as well as retirement benefits for personnel.
Voters had to approve the non-binding referendum by a margin of 60%, plus one extra vote, for the proposal to move to the next level and eventually appear on a ballot again as a binding referendum.
Voters passed the measure overwhelmingly, with 70% of voters approving and 30% saying no.
The measure essentially allows Navarre firefighters to have access to state retirement benefits that they currently don't have and makes the department eligible for certain grants to purchase new equipment.
Read the full story here:Voters approve Navarre Beach special fire district on second attempt
Contributed by Annie Blanks
9 p.m. | Salzman wins Florida House seat
Republican Michelle Salzman won the Florida House District 1 seat in Tuesday's general election, defeating Democratic nominee Franscine Mathis.
Salzman, who beat out fellow Republican and incumbent Mike Hill in August's Florida primary, won the seat by securing a 26,806-vote victory over Mathis. Salzman won with a total of 56,957 votes (65.4%) to Mathis' 30,151 votes (34.6%).
Salzman is a longtime Pensacola area volunteer, former president of the Escambia County Council of PTAs and an Army veteran.
Read the full story here:Salzman wins Florida House District 1 seat, knocks off Mathis
Contributed by Jake Newby
8:55 p.m. I Century gets new mayor, council
Century will have a new mayor and two new town council members, according to unofficial results from Tuesday night's election.
Benjamin Boutwell has narrowly unseated incumbent Henry Hawkins to become the new mayor of Century. Boutwell received 340 votes, or 51.4%, while Hawkins earned 321 votes, or 48.6%.
Boutwell is a familiar face in Century town government. He was first elected to the Town Council in 2014 and resigned from his seat earlier this year to run for mayor.
Read the full story here:Century votes in new mayor, two new town council members
Contributed by Kevin Robinson
8:55 p.m. | Wilson retains seat on Soil and Conservation
Incumbent Betty Wilson barely ousted Matt Sharpsteen in Tuesday's general election to keep her seat in group 1 of the Escambia County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Wilson won the narrow nonpartisan race by a little more than 3,000 votes; Wilson finished with 51% of the votes, toppling Sharpsteen's total of 49%.
The Escambia Soil and Water Conservation District is a governmental subdivision of the state of Florida. Districts are organized for the purpose of developing and carrying out a program of conservation of Florida's soil and water resources.
Read the full story here:Wilson wins Escambia County Soil and Water Conservation District Group 1 seat
Contributed by Jake Newby
8:50 p.m. | 3 contested Milton council seats decided
Three contested seats on the Milton City Council were on the ballot Tuesday, and by the end of the night, Matthew Jarrett won in Ward I, Roxanne Meiss was the winner in Ward II and Jeff Snow took Ward III.
Ward IV's incumbent Casey Powell also appeared on the ballot but ran unopposed.
The four newly elected members will join newly appointed Councilman David T. Richardson Jr. on the council, along with Shannon Rice, George Jordan and Sharon Holley.
The new council members will be tasked with leading Milton through a period of growth with a new wastewater treatment plant, downtown revitalization with the courthouse soon moving from its historic building and maybe even the potential widening of U.S. 90 through downtown Milton.
Read the full story here:Milton City Council seats won by Matthew Jarrett, Roxanne Meiss, Jeff Snow
Contributed by Madison Arnold
8:35 p.m. | Andrade overcomes challenger
After easily winning the Republican nomination in the Florida primary, Alex Andrade edged Democratic nominee Dianne Krumel Tuesday in the race for the Florida House of Representatives District 2 seat.
The incumbent Andrade retained his seat in Tuesday's general election by tallying 54% of the votes to Krumel's 46%.
Andrade, who was supported by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz in the August primary, said he wasn't concerned with the margin of victory Tuesday, as most of his focus shifted toward campaigning for other Florida Republicans and President Donald Trump once he won the primary election.
Read the full story here:Andrade retains Florida House District 2 seat with win over Krumel
Contributed by Jacob Newby
8:30 p.m. | Lundsford re-elected tax collector
Republican incumbent Scott Lundsford won his bid for re-election Tuesday as the Escambia County tax collector by a landslide.
Lundsford was on the ballot against Wendy Rich, a no party affiliated candidate, and with 78 out of 80 precincts reporting voting figures Tuesday night, Lundsford had secured 75.34% of the vote. Rich had received 24.66% of the vote.
Lundsford received 119,693 votes to Rich’s 39,172 as of 8:15 p.m. Tuesday.
“Well — I’ll tell you — the teams at the offices are who make what we do possible,” Lundsford told the News Journal on Election Night. “I’m a figurehead, but our guys are out there making a difference every day — solving people’s problems. I think that this vote is as large a part of their success as it is of mine.
Read the full story here:Scott Lundsford beats challenger Wendy Rich, remains Escambia tax collector
Contributed by Colin Warren-Hicks
8:25 p.m. | ECUA District 5 seat goes to Larry Williams
Democrat Larry Williams won the District 3 Emerald Coast Utilities Authority seat on Tuesday, the only contested race for a seat on the ECUA board.
Williams faced off with Republican Pueschel Schneier, as well as Calvin Avant and John R. Johnson, who are both not party affiliated.
With all 18 precincts reporting, Williams led the race with 65.72% of the vote or 17,701 votes.
Read the full story here:Democrat Larry Williams wins ECUA District 3 seat
Contributed by Madison Arnold
8:20 p.m. | Broxson re-elected to House
Republican state Sen. Doug Broxson easily defeated his Democratic challenger to retain his District 1 Florida Senate seat.
At 8:15 p.m., Broxson had 65% of the vote, or 179,015 votes, compared to Butler's 95,517 votes.
“Hopefully we can have a majority in the senate, and we go back and continue to move this economy forward during this pandemic and deal with some of the issues that we had with the budget,” Broxson told the News Journal Tuesday night. “I’m excited that we’re going to start that process next week.”
Read the full story here:Doug Broxson wins re-election to Florida Senate District 1 seat
Contributed by Colin Warren-Hicks
8:10 p.m. | Daniel Mills wins Pace Fire Rescue District 5
In the first election of its kind, Santa Rosa County voters in the Pace voting precincts have elected Daniel Mills to the Pace Fire Rescue District 5 seat.
Seat 5 was the only seat out of five total seats in which more than one person was running. Mills faced challenger Wayne Swenson in the non-partisan race.
With all seven precincts reporting, Mills won 69% of the vote to Swenson's 31%.
Read the full story here:Pace voters elect Daniel Mills to Pace Fire Rescue District Seat 5
Contributed by Annie Blanks
8:05 p.m. | Chip Simmons elected Escambia County sheriff
One of the biggest local races on the 2020 ballot — the competition between two former Pensacola police chiefs vying to become the next Escambia County sheriff — was won Tuesday by the Republican candidate.
Chip Simmons was elected as sheriff and will succeed three-term Sheriff David Morgan when he retires at the end of the year. He defeated former Pensacola Police Chief David Alexander.
"I’m humbled that citizens of Escambia County have chosen me. It is a terrific honor," Simmons told the News Journal. "It is a culmination of my law enforcement career."
Simmons, who has worked in law enforcement for 35 years, is currently chief deputy under Morgan and administers the agency's operational side.
Simmons defeated Democrat David Alexander. With 74 out of 80 precincts reporting voting figures, Simmons had secured 63.39% of the vote.
Both former PPD police chiefs, Simmons garnered 102,859 votes to Alexander’s 59,409 as of 7:45 p.m. Tuesday.
Read the full story here:Chip Simmons elected Escambia County sheriff, defeating David Alexander
Contributed by Colin Warren-Hicks
8 p.m. | Broughton wins Pensacola City Council District 5
Teniadé Broughton has won the District 5 seat to the Pensacola City Council.
Broughton won 2,380 votes, or about 58.22%, over her opponent Ron Helms who got 1,708 votes, or 41.78%.
Helms filed to run for the seat in September 2018. At the time, he would have faced incumbent Gerald Wingate, but Wingate withdrew from the race because of health complications. Wingate died in August 2019, and the City Council appointed former council member John Jerralds, who pledged not to run in 2020.
Broughton is a longtime community advocate and historian, a founder of the John Sunday Society, a volunteer with the Chappie James Museum and Flight Academy and a seventh-generation member of Allen Chapel AME Church.
Red the full story here:Teniadé Broughton wins Pensacola City Council District 5 seat
Contributed by Jim Little
7:50 p.m. | Children's Trust passes
Escambia County voters have embraced a proposal to fund a new, local Children's Services Council.
With 73 of 80 precincts reporting, early votes fully counted and mail-in votes partially counted, 61% of voters (94,022) have supported the measure, while 39% (60,726) opposed it.
The initiative will create a new 0.5 mill county property tax dedicated to funding programs that address school readiness, child abuse, juvenile arrests and other issues affecting local youth and their families.
Read the full story here:Escambia votes 'yes' to new Children's Services Trust
Contibuted by Kevin Robinson
7:45 p.m. | Pensacola City Council District 1 race tied
The race for the District 1 seat of the Pensacola City Council is on the way toward an automatic recount as the race Tuesday night was tied.
Both incumbent P.C. Wu and Jennifer Brahier had 2,322 votes each when the votes were counted Tuesday night.
The result will trigger an automatic recount unless more mail-in ballots are counted in the race or overseas military votes come in over the next 10 days.
Brahier, a professor of mathematics and statistics at Pensacola State College, sought to unseat Wu, the longest-serving member of the Pensacola City Council.
Wu, a professor emeritus at the University of West Florida, was first elected in 2004 and served as council president from 2012 to 2013.
Read the full story here:District 1 Pensacola City Council vote tied, race heading for recount
Contributed by Jim Little
7:30 p.m. | Gaetz wins third term in Florida's 1st Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz won his bid for re-election Tuesday after a challenge from Democratic candidate Phil Ehr.
The Associated Press called the race for Florida's 1st Congressional District in favor of Gaetz 13 minutes after polls closed at 7 p.m.
The AP calls races based on exit polls and surveys of voters who voted early and analysis by elections experts.
Read the full story here: Republican Matt Gaetz wins 3rd term in Florida's 1st Congressional District
Contributed by Jim Little
2 p.m. | Escambia County breaks voter turnout record
Escambia County has passed its 2016 record for the highest number of votes cast in an election.
Escambia County's unofficial turnout numbers reported that 155,441 ballots had been cast as of 2 p.m. Tuesday. The number is 217 votes higher that the record 2016 number of 155,224 votes.
Total turnout in the county was at 66.93% with 25,037 people voting in person Tuesday.
Escambia County had 69,836 people vote early and has received 60,445 votes by mail.
Between Escambia and Santa Rosa counties 301,251 people have voted, smashing 2016's record of 244,322.
Contributed by Jim Little
1 p.m. | Record set in Santa Rosa County
The number of votes casts in Santa Rosa County has topped the number cast in the 2016 presidential election as of 1 p.m.
Santa Rosa County unofficial turnout numbers report that 95,789 voters have cast ballots in the 2020 race. The number is 6,685 votes higher than the record number set in 2016.
The number also pushes the combined total for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties 3,554 votes above the record 244,322 votes from 2016.
More:Latest election results for Escambia, Santa Rosa counties in Florida
Turnout percentage is still technically lower than the 2016 race as there were only 130,828 registered voters in 2016. That number has grown to 145,810 for Tuesday’s election.
Turnout is on-pace to break the remaining 2016 records for both counties before polls close at 7 p.m.
Contributed by Jim Little
12:45 p.m. | Santa Rosa polling sites busy
Lines stayed low at the Gulf Breeze Community Center on Shoreline Drive around lunchtime Tuesday as voters streamed in and out with ease.
A sedan at the center’s parking lot was draped with a Trump 2020 banner that stretched the whole length of the hood and a group of young people laughed and took selfies by their car on their way out of the precinct.
In a time when coronavirus concerns have led many to vote early or through the mail, the consensus among those voting in person in Gulf Breeze on Tuesday was that they wanted the experience of having their say on Election Day.
“It’s been kind of crazy this year, but I’ve always voted in person and I like to get out and vote on Election Day,” Alexander Atwell said on his way into the community center.
Couple Jan and Dan Bouthilet agreed, both saying they liked the in-person experience.
“It’s always important to vote, but it’s extra important this election cycle,” Dan Bouthilet said.
“I’m glad that message has gotten out and so many people are voting this year,” his wife added.
Santa Rosa County Supervisor of ElectionsTappie Villane said as of 12:30 p.m., the county had seen almost 13,000 in-person voters head to the polls. By comparison, in the 2016 presidential election there were about 32,000 Santa Rosa County voters by the time the polls closed.
“It’s always hard to predict (voter turnout), but we do know this year we’ve had a much higher turnout in voting by mail and early voting,” she said. “It’s hard to tell until the end of the day, but it’s still early.”
More:Latest Election Day updates: Top Florida election official says voting going smoothly
She said a few precincts, namely in Bagdad, had lines early this morning at opening but they were still moving quickly.
Villane said there haven’t been any polling issues or complaints at this point.
Contributed by Emma Kennedy
12:20 p.m. | 65% voter turnout in Escambia, Santa Rosa at noon
More than 30,000 voters came out to the polls on Election Day in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as of noon Tuesday.
Escambia County's unofficial turnout numbers reported that 20,557 people came out to cast their ballot in-person on Tuesday, while the same numbers in Santa Rosa County reported 11,774 people had shown up at the polls there.
The busiest polling sites as of noon Escambia County were Beulah Free Will Baptist Church on Mobile Highway and Pinewoods Presbyterian Church in Cantonment both with 558 votes being cast in-person Tuesday.
In Santa Rosa County, St. Sylvester's Catholic Church on Gulf Breeze Parkway had the most voters so far as of noon with 735 people voting in-person followed by the Gulf Breeze Community Center with 610.
With mail-in ballots and early voting, the total turnout neared 65% in both counties. Escambia County has had 149,821 total ballots cast so far, and Santa Rosa County has had 94,523 total ballots cast.
Contributed by Jim Little
9 a.m. | Downtown Pensacola polling sites moving quickly
Escambia County's record-breaking early voting numbers were apparent at the polls Tuesday morning as many downtown-area precincts remained steady and without lines when voting began.
Both Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church and the Brownsville Community Center had hardly filled parking lots before 8:30 a.m., and voters easily shuffled in and out of the Fricker Community Center in only a few minutes.
Election volunteers bundled up in temperatures in the 40s as polls opened at 7 a.m., waving signs at passersby and potential voters.
Record shattered:55% of Escambia and Santa Rosa ballots already cast
Marilyn Byrd, a poll watcher on the morning shift at the Fricker Community Center, thinks the bigger wave of voters will come later in the day during lunch breaks and after work.
"A lot of people did early voting which I think has made a difference here but it’s been slow so far this morning," she said, adding that the neighborhood surrounding the community center is largely older people who may have chosen to vote early or mail-in rather than brave any lines.
Lesei Mickles was stationed right by Byrd to wave signs supporting the Escambia Children's Trust referendum on the ballot, a proposal to create a Children’s Services Council to fund and expand programs foreverything from education to child hunger to suicide prevention.
She also said the lines at Fricker had been slower than usual for a general election.
"I think the impact of early voting is what it is, typically you’d see lines by now in a big election like this," she said.
Contributed by Emma Kennedy
7 a.m. | Polls are now open
Polling sites in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are open for an Election Day that experts say could set a record for voter turnout.
Nearly 9 million Floridians had already voted by Monday, almost matching the total number who cast ballots in the 2016 general election.
About 55% of all registered voters in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties had already cast their ballots either by mail or through early voting as of Monday morning.
Between the two counties, that accounted for a staggering 209,892 voters, according to unofficial tallies from local supervisors of election offices. That is only about 34,400 fewer votes than the total number of ballots cast in both counties in the 2016 election.
Experts predict that despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, voter turnout could reach record highs in what has been a contentious election season.
Early voting:Record shattered: 55% of Escambia and Santa Rosa ballots already cast
Mail-in votes:Escambia County mail-in votes 38% above all-time high 2016 levels
Where and when to vote
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Not sure where your precinct is located? Those in Escambia County can find that information at escambiavotes.gov, while those in Santa Rosa County can visit votesantarosa.com.
Those voting in person should be aware that local precincts are practicing social distancing and encouraging voters to wear face coverings.
Voters with unsent mail-in ballots should take them to their local elections office, rather than putting them in the mail or taking them to their voting precinct.
Escambia County voters can check the status of their mail-in ballot at escambiavotes.gov. Santa Rosa County voters can do the same at votesantarosa.com.
For the most up-to-date election results as they come in, click here.