Last Updated: 10:16 p.m.
All precincts are in for Flagler County, all ballots have been counted. All tables updated.
Quick links to the races:
- Flagler County Judge and Flagler Sheriff
- School Board and Half-Cent Sales Tax
- County Commission, Clerk of Court, Supervisor of Elections
- State Attorney, State House, Congress, U.S. Senate
The chatter, the campaigning, the mud-wrestling and the voting is over. So is the counting. The biggest loser was again the Flagler County voter: turnout was another dismal 25 percent, barely better than the 24 percent of the 2008 primary, and a bare improvement over the 2006 and 2010 primaries.
As for the actual voting, by 8:30, it was over: with all ballots counted, the following candidates had won their races: Gail Wadsworth for clerk of court, Colleen Conklin and Sue Dickinson, each winning their fourth Flagler County School Board election (defeating Debbie Laury and Bill Corkran, respectively), Jim Manfre winning the Democratic primary for sheriff, incumbent Don Fleming winning the Republican race and beating Ray Stevens by 5 points, with John Pollinger polling third, Milissa Holland winning the Democratic primary for State House (against Doug Courtney), and Bill Nelson and Connie Mack winning their respective races for U.S. Senate.
The school board’s half-cent sales tax is the big winner of the evening, getting renewed with close to a 2-to-1 margin.
Ron DeSantis won the Republican race for the 6th Congressional District, taking a strong 39 percent of the vote in a field of seven. Ormond Beach’s Fred Costello, the Florida House member, ran second, with 24 percent, and 28 percent in Flagler. John Mica used to be most of Flagler County’s representative until he decided to move to the new 7th Congressional District and challenge one-term incumbent Sandy Adams. Mica won, trouncing Adams with 61 percent of the vote.
Heather Beaven easily won the Democratic primary for the 6th District, taking 81 percent of the vote district-wide and in Flagler, against newcomer and lawyer Vipin Verma.
In the Republican primary for supervisor of elections, Trey Corbett barely edged out Pam Richardson. And Charlie Ericksen, who lost his bid against Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts last year, has defeated incumbent Alen Peterson in the County Commission District 1 race, by just under 140 votes, in what should rate as the evening’s biggest jolt.
Here’s the run-down.
Flagler County Judge and Flagler County Sheriff: It will be the surprise of the night if the race for county judge is decided tonight. It most likely won’t be, because an outright winner will need 50 percent of the vote or more. In a field of seven strong candidates, that would require a suspension of disbelief. The top two vote-getters will head for a run-off on Nov. 6.
In the sheriff’s race, it’ll be a rematch between Fleming and Manfre, who faced each other four years ago, with Fleming winning by a small margin.
“Life has other plans for me I guess,” Pollinger said. “Obviously I’m disappointed for my supporters. I had a stake in this and the outcome of course but all the people that worked so tirelessly on my campaign, I’m more disappointed for than then for myself. I did call the sheriff and left him a voice mail congratulating him. I’m still proud of the campaign that I ran, that we ran, and in hindsight I wouldn’t change a thing.” Asked about his next plans, Pollinger said: “I’m going back to being me again, just John Pollinger, resident of Flagler County.”
Stevens and his supporters claimed all along that Pollinger wasn’t in the race to win it (the $25,000 of his own that he poured into the race notwithstanding) but to split the vote and open a path for Fleming’s win. The results may vindicate the theory.
Manfre was with friends at home, savoring his victory and looking forward to the race ahead.
Manfre, a lawyer, was quick to analyze the Republican contest in these terms: “What happens was what happened four years ago: the two candidates split the anti-Fleming vote, and Fleming got in. It doesn’t show much support for the incumbent when he gets 38 percent of the vote,” Manfre said, with his opponents splitting the rest of the vote. In the primary four years ago, Manfre noted, Fleming had 52 percent of the vote among three candidates. “So this sheriff doesn’t have broad support with the public. Didn’t have it in the last election, and didn’t have it in the primary, and I believe that will be my key to victory.”
Flagler County Court Judge and Flagler County Sheriff
| Flagler County Court Judge | ||
| Don Appignani | ||
| Craig Atack | ||
| Josh Davis | ||
| Marc Dwyer | ||
| Sharon Feliciano | ||
| Melissa Moore Stens | ||
| Scott Westbrook | ||
| Flagler County Sheriff, Republican Primary | ||
| Don Fleming (I, R) | ||
| John Pollinger (R) | ||
| Ray Stevens (R) | ||
| Flagler County Sheriff, Democratic Primary | ||
| Jim Manfre (D) | ||
| Karl Tozzi (D) |
Still, many voters had been telling people like Andy Dance–the school board member who’s led the campaign to renew the sales tax–that they see their school taxes increasing. Myths perpetrated by noisy talking heads have a way of overwhelming facts and reason.
Also on the ballot, of course, were two women who got elected together 12 years ago, and who were going for four more years, and got them: Sue Dickinson and Colleen Conklin. Both faced tough challenges. Dickinson faced a head-on challenge from the teachers’ union, the Flagler County Educators Association, which fielded Bill Corkran. The JFK-quoting Conklin faced a challenge from the smart but temperamental Debbie Laury, a member of the right-wing Ronald Reagan Republican Assemblies that’s been shaking up local races with candidates, activism, mercenary write-ins and the occasional lawsuit. Both Conklin and Dickinson were particularly anxious, and may have had good reason to be. Still, they prevailed, and relatively easily, especially Conklin, who got the most votes of any candidate running locally in any race.
“Honestly I feel relieved, because I was honestly concerned. I felt I was a target, and that I was definitely on the list of individuals that certain people wanted to have removed from the school board, and I was quite concerned,” Conklin said, “because the political antics have been a bit concerning. And you just never knew what to expect. I think more than anything, more than that, I’m excited about the half-penny, and that in itself is a statement about our community, to our school district, about the importance and value of education, and I’m so humbled and so grateful to the citizens of Flagler County for supporting that half-penny.”
“The statement that it truly sends is that it was a union challenge but as always not everyone in the union feels the same way as the board of the union, and I think that came through as well as anything else,” Dickinsons said after winning. “I still had name recognition within the school district, with the teachers and the administration, and the fact that over the years, when we could do things for the teachers and did increase salaries, we did what we could do. I think that was remembered by a lot of faculty and staff.”
Flagler County School Board and Half Cent Sales Tax Referendum
| Half-Cent Sales Tax Referendum | ||
| For | ||
| Against | ||
| School Board District 3 | ||
| Colleen Conklin (I) | ||
| Debbie Laury | ||
| School Board District 5 | ||
| Bill Corkran | ||
| Sue Dickinson (I) |
Flagler County Commission, Clerk of Court, Supervisor of Elections: These races weren’t bunched together by accident. These are the races that were open only to Republican voters, and closed to Independents and Democrats. In the supervisor of elections’ race, Democrat Kimberle Weeks was unopposed in the primary. She will face Republican Trey Corbett in November.
The County Commission District 2 race, with Republicans Frank meeker and Dennis McDonald facing off, only decided a winner–Meeker– will face Independent Abby Romaine (who is not a write-in) in November.
“I think I told you 500 votes or less,” Ericksen said this evening, after winning. He was at the Republican campaign headquarters near Staples in Palm Coast, where the crowd was thinning out after 9 p.m. “I think there’s a little bit of a surprise with Don Fleming’s win, but other than that people have been most complimentary to me,” Ericksen said.
“I appreciate the friendship that I had with Alan so that our race was without any mud-sling,” Ericksens said, “and I’ll continue to listen to his comments during the remaining county commission meetings, and put my own particular style into place at the commission and working with the other four commissioners. I tend not to get overexcited on good things and under-excited on bad things, I tend to stay middle of the road, listen, and make a decision, but I’m pleased as punch to be a commissioner-elect.”
Meeker for his part sounded almost as if he’d lost the race.
“I’m happy for the win but I’m disappointed in the turnout,” Meeker said. He beat Dennis McDonald, but by a mere 444 votes out of 8,300 cast, a much slimmer margin than he’d anticipated, or wanted. “I’m disappointed, I really thought that the electorate would look at the issues and recognize the difference between the two candidates on the issues.” That, however, should be the case in his race with Romaine. “I’m looking forward to that,” Meeker said.
Flagler County Commission, Flagler Supervisor of Elections, Clerk of Court
| Flagler County Commission, Ditsrict 1 | ||
| Charlie Ericksen (R) | ||
| Alan Peterson (I, R) | ||
| Flagler County Commission, Ditsrict 2 | ||
| Dennis McDonald (R) | ||
| Frank Meeker (R) | ||
| Flagler County Clerk of Court | ||
| Ken Mazzie (R) | ||
| Gail Wadsworth (I, R) | ||
| Flagler County Supervisor of Elections | ||
| Trey Corbett (R) | ||
| Kimble Medley (R) | ||
| Pam Richardson (R) | ||
| Allen Whetsell (R) |
Larizza won it with 56 percent of the vote in Flagler County, and 54 percent of the vote district-wide. The 7th Judicial District, which includes Flagler, St. Johns, Putnam and Volusia counties.
Milissa Holland and Doug Courtney were facing each other in the Democratic race for the new state House seat created with Flagler at its center. Holland was expected to win that race, and did, with 73 percent of the vote in Flagler and 68 percent of the vote district-wide. But Republican Travis Hutson, who has no primary opposition, will present a huge obstacle to victory–not because of his experience, which is lacking, or his name recognition, which is equally lacking, but because of a campaign fund that overwhelms Holland’s.
The newly formed 6th Congressional District also includes all of Flagler County.
State Attorney for the 7th District, Florida House 24, 6th Congressional District, U.S. Senate
| State Attorney | ||||
| R.J. Larizza (R, I) | ||||
| Stasia Warren (R) | ||||
| Florida House, District 24, Democratic Primary | ||||
| Doug Courtney (D) | ||||
| Milissa Holland (D) | ||||
| Congressional District 6, Republican Primary | ||||
| Richard Clark (R) | ||||
| Fred Costello (R) | ||||
| Ron DeSantis (R) | ||||
| William Billy Kogut (R) | ||||
| Craig Miller (R) | ||||
| Alec Pueschel (R) | ||||
| Beverly Slough (R) | ||||
| Congressional District 6, Democratic Primary | ||||
| Heather Beaven (D) | ||||
| Vipin Verma (D) | ||||
| U.S. Senate, Republican Primary | ||||
| Connie Mack (R) | ||||
| Mike McCallister (R) | ||||
| Marielena Stuart (R) | ||||
| Dave Weldon (R) | ||||
| U.S. Senate, Democratic Primary | ||||
| Glenn Burkett (D) | ||||
| Bill Nelson (I, D) |
Precincts reporting: In district-wide races, keep in mind that the percentage of precincts reporting will vary from county to county.
The Truth says
The absolute best part of this election: we can finally see the absorbent number of signs come down.
flagler1 says
I have multiple problems with the outcome of this election.
First: It is an absolute shame that Bill Corkran didn’t win school board. He would have done great things for our students because he truly knows what it is like to be a teacher. It was Sue Dickinson’s time to go. I was a former student in Flagler County Schools and she never even stepped onto our campus in the four years I attended. Talk about “out of touch”. Not to mention, she was part of the terrible uniform fiasco on the school board this year. She voted yes on the uniform decision. For the record, I don’t care about uniforms. I feel that it was created by school board as a DISTRACTION from the real issues that need to be faced. This is about the 3rd or 4th time they have brought up uniforms in the past several years. Can we please move on to something that matters? Like the diminishing budget in our schools? Sue Dickinson was one of the key players in this total waste of time.
Second: Melissa Moore Stens should have won the primary and I hope that she wins in the general election. I don’t know Melissa, but I read her record on Flagler Live. She is by far the candidate with the most experience and best resume. She had great responses to the interview questions and answered them beautifully. Craig Atack seems like a total quack to me. He has been practicing law for nearly 6 years, half the time Stens has. Not to mention, his education isn’t something to praise either. Read the article on this website. He is the LEAST qualified judge of the several.The only reason Atack won this primary is simply because people know the name Atack because both of his parents were judges. Here is some advice Flagler: start voting on their experience, not their name.
FL informed voter says
I agree with your second opinion. There were many qualified candidates running for Judge. How is it even possible the LEAST qualified candidate won the primary? I understand his parents were judges, but those are basically his only credentials. I’ve heard him speak at forums, and says he would be a good Judge because he heard mom and dad talk about it at the dinner table when he was a kid. Are the voters of Flagler County crazy? Craig is a nice guy, but the other 5 candidates that are now out were all more qualified. This is not his time. Wake up voters, and compare the credentials and experience of the 2 remaining candidates.
Brynn Newton says
Other voters may wish to be further informed on Craig Atack’s qualifications, which extend considerably beyond the family dinner table (although being immersed in law and the functions of Flagler County Court from a very early age doesn’t hurt). In his six years of active law practice, Craig has been lead counsel in more jury trials and represented more clients than many lawyers see in a lifetime. He has been steadily promoted from county court to felony court to handling the most serious cases in the circuit, all based on his performance. His ability to manage a huge case load and to deal with all sorts of people will serve him (and Flagler County) well in managing our County Court’s docket effectively and efficiently.
Brynn Newton
FL informed voter says
Yes, I went to his website to get more information. There really isn’t much there that explains his
Experience and credentials. The other candidate seems to have over twice as many years as a lawyer. With the information listed on both candidate websites, he doesn’t seem to come close to the amount of things Moore Stens has done or accomplished. It’s just an observation, after trying to get information for an informed decision. I read he is a felony public defender, you are correct. Moore Stens seemingly has those credentials and a whole lot more when compared. It says she is Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law. I don’t think a person can get that without handling quite a few trials also. She achieved that in 2006 it says, so she has been Board Certified as long as he has been a lawyer in general. I have no doubt Mr. Atack is capable, but doesn’t seem to compare to her.
susan says
I have lives here for almost 12 yrs. now. I am quite fed-up at the fact it is always the same people running and winning. If, Palm coast & the county dom’t get there acts together about bring jobs to this area it will be a Ghost town. Now that the half-cent sales tax was pushed through, how about reimbursing the tax payers. When they had their taxes prematurely raised last month because people did not thinks the sales tax would go thru? Stop the double dippin!!!
Maryjoe says
Congratulations to Charlie Ericksen…. and congratulations to us…he’s going to do a fantastic job.
Meh says
Half penny goes through, that is excellent news. For the 34% haters, shame on you.
Irwin Connelly says
Flagler County Voters have already won in the County Judge race. Both candidates have the qualities that we want to see for the position. Melissa and Craig both have the essential character, integrity and industriousness needed to carry out the responsibilities for the job. I know both will run a positive campaign befitting the dignity of the post being sought. Again, congratulations to the voters for selecting two excellent candidates. This is a good night for Flagler County.
Irwin Connelly
Binkey says
@Susan
The school district half penny sales tax is not the same as the Flagler County half penny sales tax. The school board is not double dipping.
Deep South says
I was one of 25 % of the registered voters who turned out today and voted. Where were the other 75 % ?
Dorothea says
Deep South says:
“I was one of 25 % of the registered voters who turned out today and voted. Where were the other 75 % ? ”
Deep South, they were and are busy complaining. I, too, turned out yesterday and voted. I had my choice of every booth in my voting precinct.
applesandoranges says
Of the 75% who didn’t vote yesterday…. a good majority may have voted early, like myself. Ever think of that?
[The early voting tally is included in the 25 percent turnout total.–FL]
T says
Alan Peterson was and is an outstanding public servent who has the interest of the tax payers in mind. Alan’s financial background and analytical approach is invaluable and he will be missed.
Mike L says
Congratulations Sheriff Fleming. I hope you win the General Election in November as well.
BW says
Congratulations to Trey and a big round of applause to Pam Richardson, Allen Whetsell, & Kimble Medley who all ran great campaigns. That was a close race.
Popo3984 says
Looking forward to sheriff manfre back at his office on justice lane
Joe says
24% voted, that says it all, less than 1/4 of flagler county votes, how pitiful!!!!! Now please remove your signs so I can enjoy the scenery again please!!!!
palmcoaster says
Congratulations JIM MANFRE!!
The man of integrity, experienced and family values that we all need as our FCSO!
palmcoaster says
Congratulations to Charlie Ericksen, now lets see you at work, as you promised to us!!
Lonewolf says
He isn’t in yet…
FRANK DILIBERTO says
Congratulations to SHERIFF DON FLEMING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now you can continue the great work you and your staff have been doing!!!!!!!!!!
With Manfre running were guaranteed 4 more years!!!
Henry says
Yes, the man behind all the corruption at the sheriff’s office. How pitiful are the these certain republicans.
Nancy N. says
Oh wait, I thought there was actually another candidate and that there was an election still to be held in this race in November?
Oh that’s right, that candidate is just a straw man designed to disenfranchise democrats and independents like myself.
After the charade that was this election I’m seriously considering changing my registration to Republican just because it is the only way that I can actually vote in most of the rigged elections in this town.
question says
Sad day in Palm Coast…TEA PARTY squeaked into our city governance by a mere 138 votes:
Charlie Ericksen (R) 4183 50.84%
Alan Peterson (I, R) 4045 49.16%
Wake up rational Palm Coasters…almost 80,000 people and 138 made THIS HAPPEN ?!
I agree FlaglerLive. “The county commission race pitting incumbent Alan Peterson and Charlie Ericksen SHOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN TO ALL VOTERS: they’re both Republicans, there are no other serious candidates running, and tonight’s winner–Ericksen–will, in fact, be the next county commissioner.
But the presence of a write-in will stretch the charade to November, when Ericksen’s name will again appear on the ballot. It also ensured that the race be closed to Independent and Democratic voters until then.”
Magnolia says
If it bothers you so much, next time I suggest you field a Democrat candidate or perhaps run yourself? Using your own name, of course…
JL says
Insanity=doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. We can’t have any change if we keep putting the same people in office. I was part of the 25% that voted. So I feel I had a say. And I can tell you, I did NOT vote for one incumbent. If you ever held office of any kind, I did NOT vote for you. I do not feel the Sheriff is acting in the best interests of our County. He is using it for his own personal uses. I will vote Democrat come election time in November and vote for Manfre. And for the school board, I wanted them out too. I’m very disappointed in our school board. I agree, the most you could come up with was voting on school uniforms? We have bigger problems to address than fashion. Unfortunately, too many people voted for the same ol’ names, and didn’t really care if the candidate was doing a good job or not. Probably the same people who got Gov. Scott elected. It’s sad that only 25% voted. People, you should not take this job so lightly. It is our job to elect officials. It’s up to us to see that qualified people are put in responsible positions. Did it really hurt for you to take 10 minutes out of your day to go vote? What was your excuse? You had to be home to watch some daytime soap? I’m thankful to live in a country where I have a say in electing my officials, so I vote in every election.
notasenior says
How many acts of questionable ethics does it take before the voters of Flagler county see Fleming for what he is?
spoton says
Ok, let the games begin… here we go again… questionable ethics? A telephone call and a card given? If that all the problems the Top/Cop has – then Flagler County is in Great Shape… Keep up the good work FCSO and Fleming…. Way to go.
initialjoe says
I wish I could have voted for the County Commission race.
Otherwise, get your damn signs out of everywhere. Those signs are nothing but an expensive nuissance. Donate all that sign money to a good cause…you being elected and paid a ton of money is not a good cause in my opinion.
Jenny Hanger says
Too bad for the large percentage who didn’t vote – thank you – my vote counts even more because of your apathy.
To all veterans – thank you for defending my right to vote. I always vote in your honor.
tulip says
This election was all about the Sheriffs. My disappointment in Flagler Live is that it interviewed the judges, the sheriffs, but did not interview commissioner, clerk of court or SOE candidates.
I posted earlier today about people not reading, paying attention, or just didn’t care about the election and the RR tactics for taking over. I guess it didn’t get through to Pierre’s computer.
FBGirl says
Hey initialjoe… if you think they are “paid a ton of money”, why don’t YOU do the job for free??
Biker says
Voted turnout was pathetic. The same people that dont vote are probably the very same people that complain the loudest about our elected officials. Fleming vs Manfre? what stellar choices we have in Flagler county.!!
Mike L says
Notasenior, everybody makes mistakes and does something they regret once in a while. If you make a couple mistakes should you get fired from your job? I don’t think so.
Rocky Mac says
Is it a coincidence that some of the winners in this election had the most signs around town? Sad to say that some voters will vote in the one who spent the most money on the campaign.
BW says
There were a couple of very interesting things with this primary election that I think to the core issues in regards to voting in the area:
1. There were 3 races that the write-in thing came up. BUT in all honesty, the write-in issue does not matter if the local Democrat party had candidates. Where are the candidates from that party?
2. This is the first time in years we’ve had multiple news sources covering local politics, and they’ve done a wonderful job so far. Thank you to them. Just 4 years ago we had nothing.
3. Voter turnout still remains low, but our Elections Supervisor complains about the budget constantly. Why does someone need more when they continue to have lower and lower voter turnouts? But I guess low turnouts are preferred by her so she can claim she gets out quick results.
4. We should be encouraging people to run. Many are discouraged to run locally by an intimidating process and a small group that finds entertainment in trying to slander those who do put themselves out there.
The Judge’s race was really interesting. There has never been that many candidates in that race and so many good candidates. November will definitely be interesting. The Sheriff’s race was a very big surprise. And very happy to see Gail Wadsworth win.
garyseven says
Once again we have a choice between two carpetbaggers….Fleming or Manfre. As they have both shown little interest in things beyond Palm Coast city limits perhaps the job title should be changed to City Marshall .
RR says
Way to go Sheriff Fleming!
Becaese of your dedication and getting the crime down and at the same time the budget, you are #1.
Looking forward to November and your re-election for Sheriff of Flagler county. We deserve the BEST and you are it!
Keep up the great work in your next term. Proud to have you as our SHERIFF.
palmcoaster says
Unfortunatly looks like many Democrats didn’t cast their ballots in this primary!
john c says
congratulations to jim manfre. now we all need to support manfre to be our nex fcso.w/flaming gone the cop div. will succeed to achieve success w/out the power crazy dictator in charge.
agnese says
Now, can we get rid of all the obnoxious signs on every street corner and get back out beautiful Palm Coast ??
biker woman says
Let’s get real no one person can make anyone vote!!!!!!!!!!!! that is up to the individual and no one else!!!!!!!!!