BY DAN HILDEBRAN
A rematch of the 2020 sheriff’s race, a school board runoff, and a land conservation referendum top the local races Lake Region voters will be asked to decide in the upcoming general election.
Former Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels is trying to regain his old job from first-term Sheriff Michelle Cook.
Gov. Ron DeSantis removed Daniels from office in August 2020 after he was arrested for evidence tampering and giving false statements to law enforcement.
Prosecutors said the sheriff ordered deputies to wrongfully arrest his mistress, falsely accusing her of stalking him. Two years later, a Green Cove Springs jury acquitted him of the charges. Daniels is now running with no party affiliation.
In another county-wide race, Jim Hughes and Robert Alvaro are in a runoff for the District 2 School Board Seat. In the August nonpartisan election, Alvaro received 30.14% of the vote, while 24.45% of voters supported Hughes. The top two vote-getters beat Matthew Mitchell and Sharon Flowers.
Clay County referendum
In addition to the presidential election, Clay County voters will be asked to vote on a referendum, which would designate 0.2 mills of the county’s tax revenues for land acquisition.
According to a July resolution passed by the board of county commissioners, the 0.2 mills would be used to repay $45 million in bonds over 20 years. The county would issue the bonds to finance land acquisitions for conservation within Clay County.
The ballot measure reads as follows:
“CLAY COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION REFERENDUM TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY, WILDLIFE HABITAT, FORESTS AND FARMS
To acquire and manage lands that protect water quality in rivers, lakes, creeks, and drinking water sources; conserve wildlife habitat, natural areas, and working forests and farms; reduce flooding; and provide outdoor recreation, shall Clay County issue general obligation bonds up to $45 million, maturing within 20 years, bearing interest not exceeding legal maximum rates, payable from ad valorem tax up to 0.2 mills, with annual audits, citizen oversight, and full public disclosure of spending?
___YES
___NO”
Other referendums and races
State constitutional amendments address hunting and fishing rights, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, making school board races partisan, abortion rights, tying automatic increases in the homestead exemption to inflation, and repealing public campaign financing for state elections.
In federal races, Democrat Debbie Murcarsel-Powell is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Rick Scott, and Democrat LaShonda “L.J.” Holloway is trying to unseat first-term Republican Aaron Bean for the District 4 seat.
With State Rep. Bobby Payne termed out, Democrat Tony Connolly and Republican Judson Sapp are vying to represent Florida House District 20.
Early voting times, dates, and locations
The Clay County Supervisor of Elections said early voting for the November 5 general election will be available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week from October 22 through November 2.
Lake Region residents may vote at the Keystone Heights City Hall.
Voter rolls close on October 7, so those wishing to vote must register by then.
Other early voting locations in Clay County are the Health Department in Fleming Island, the Middleburg Civic Center, the Supervisor of Elections Office in Green Cove Springs, the Eagle Landing Residents Club, the Thrasher-Horne Conference Center, and the Orange Park Library.
