The races for Flagler County Commission and Palm Coast council were not close in a mid-term election that saw turnout rise to an astounding 64 percent.
Elections 2024
Amendments: Felons Will Get Voting Rights, Dogs Won’t Race Anymore, Homestead Expansion Fails
More than 64 percent of Florida voters had cast ballots for Amendment 4, which is designed to restore voting rights to an estimated 1.4 million felons who have completed their sentences.
Rick Scott Wins ‘Nasty’ U.S. Senate Race, Ending Bill Nelson’s 46 Years in Government
Scott’s win even more firmly cemented control of Florida and the U.S. Senate for Republicans. Nelson for the past eight years has been the only Democrat elected statewide.
Powered by Trump Turnout and ‘Hamilton’ Tickets, DeSantis Defies Polls and Edges Out Gillum
DeSantis’ win was a crushing blow for Democrats, who had pinned their hopes on Gillum making history as the state’s first black chief-of-state and recapturing the governor’s mansion for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.
A Few Big Legislative Races, Scattered Through Florida
Donors, party leaders and political operatives don’t like to toss away money on lost causes. With that in mind, here are some of the races to watch Tuesday in various regions of the state.
Flurry of Polls Show Gillum and Nelson Decisively Edging Past DeSantis and Scott
Andrew Gillum and Bill Nelson have built solid leads among independents, women and minorities, with Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott leading only among white men.
Buying Their Election: Mullins and Hansen Shatter Spending Records for Flagler County Commission Seats
The nearly $200,000 Joe Mullins and Greg Hansen have spent so far puts them on pace to match or outspend all 26 other county commission candidates in the past three years combined.
In Miami on Final Stretch, Obama Chides GOP For ‘Repeated Attempts to Divide You’
The former president’s trip to the Sunshine State was sandwiched between two appearances in Florida by President Donald Trump, who held a rally Wednesday in Lee County.
Restoring Felons’ Right to Vote:
Why I’m Voting Yes on Amendment 4
In 46 other states, the right is restored either immediately or on completion of probation. Florida stands out for harshness, accounting for a quarter of America’s disenfranchised.
With 3.7 Million Early Votes In, Election Day Delays May Ease Despite Epic Ballot
While the lengthy ballot will cause some delays, it is not expected to be as bad as 2012 as a majority of voters will have already cast ballots.
Amendment 13: ‘Humane Treatment of Animals’ Would End Dog Racing in Florida
Florida is one of a handful of places in the country with dog racing, and passage of the amendment would be a serious blow for an industry that has been in the state for decades.
From Wing Joint to Hair Salon, Florida Voters Split on Gillum-DeSantis Race for Governor
Interviews with a diversity of Florida voters reveal the searing differences of opinions between voters–and their solidified opinions about Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum, with days left in the gubernatorial race.
Amendments 1, 2 and 5: Taking Aim at Taxes Through Homestead Exemption, a Cap and Supermajorities
Three proposals on the November ballot that would make tax-related changes to the state Constitution have drawn conflicting views from the real-estate industry, local governments and other groups about the measures’ potential economic impacts.
Trump’s Responsibility
Trump can’t have it both ways. He can’t revel in his powers of denigration and incitement then take cover behind a bogus sense of outrage and his usual deflections when the incitement and denigration arm fuses and kill people.
“Interference In the County’s Elections”? Not So Fast: How 2 Illegal Political Signs Seeded a Phony Controversy
A pair of political campaign signs planted and then unearthed from in front of a Publix and a SunTrust bank branch in the Hammock kicked off two police investigations, but the controversy is largely made up by a candidate with a history of such tactics.
2 Million Floridians Have Already Voted, Republican Registrants Holding 43-40 Edge Over Democrats
As of Friday morning, 869,745 Republicans had cast ballots, compared to 808,288 Democrats and 347,488 unaffiliated voters, out of the state’s nearly 13.3 million registered voters.
All Insults Nearly All The Time As Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum Debate a Final Round
It was an hour of jugular attacks, with Andrew Gillum and Ron DeSantis accusing each other of being dishonest and unworthy of leading the state before they exited the stage with a fist bump.
Amendment 9: What Has Vaping Got To Do With Offshore Oil Drilling?
Rather than allowing the vaping ban to stand on its own, the revision commission coupled it with a proposed ban on offshore oil drilling in Florida waters, describing the combination as an environmental amendment.
Surge in Early Voting and Mailed Ballots in Flagler Mirrors Florida’s, Pointing to Strong Off-Year Turnout
On Wednesday, the Flagler County Canvassing Board was going through almost as many mailed-in ballots in a single day as it did for the entire 2014 election. The rest of the state is seeing a similar surge.
Even As Voter Registration Soars, Bogus Fraud Claims and Real Voter Suppression Live On
Experts are predicting record-high midterm voter turnout. But millions of U.S. citizens are being systematically inhibited — either blatantly or covertly — from casting votes this November.
Gillum Leads DeSantis 52-46, Taking 21-Point Lead Among Women, 18 With Independents
Gillum is so far winning key demographics, with a seemingly insurmountable 18-point lead among independents, who usually decide statewide races, but he’s also winning among women by 21 points.
Amendment 3: Not As Clear-Cut As ‘Voter Control of Gambling in Florida’
Amendment 3, placed on the ballot by a political committee largely backed by Disney Worldwide Services, Inc. and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, would give voters the “exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling” in the state.
Women and Independents Keep Bill Nelson Ahead of Rick Scott By 6 Points in Latest Poll
Sen. Bill Nelson, drawing much higher favorability ratings and strong support from independents–key to all statewide races in Florida–is maintaining a comfortable 52-46 percent advantage over Gov. Rick Scott in the race for U.S. Senate.
Gillum-DeSantis Debate Is a 60-Minute Bout Over Ring-Kissing, Crime, Trump, Race and Algae Blooms
Democrat Andrew Gillum and Republican Ron DeSantis shredded each other Sunday night during a nationally televised debate, as the gubernatorial candidates appeared in their first face-to-face showdown.
Nikki Fried and Matt Caldwell Gun For Agriculture Commissioner Behind Holsters and Consumer Protection
Democrat Nikki Fried and Republican Matt Caldwell offer differing views on Trump, the state’s management of concealed-weapons licenses and how to move forward with medical marijuana.
Jane Gentile-Youd, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Jane Gentile-Youd is an independent candidate for Flagler County Commission, District , challenging Joe Mullins in the Nov. 6 election. All registered Flagler County voters may cast a ballot in the race regardless of address or party affiliation.
Bitter Clash Over Charter Schools Behind Supreme Court Decision To Kill ‘Defective’ Ballot Measure
The proposed constitutional amendment could have opened a new avenue for the establishment of charter schools outside the control of county school boards.
Dennis McDonald, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Dennis McDonald is an independent candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 2, challenging Greg Hansenin the Nov. 6 election. All registered Flagler County voters may cast a ballot in the race regardless of address or party affiliation.
Jack Howell, Palm Coast City Council Candidate: The Live Interview
Jack Howell is a candidate for Palm Coast City Council. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Sean Shaw v. Ashley Moody: Race for Attorney General Contrasts Activism With Status Quo
State Rep. Sean Shaw, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, vows to aggressively use the office to take on fraud and other issues, while Former Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Ashley Moody, the Republican candidate, wants to build on the work of her friend, the term-limited Bondi.
Jon Netts, Palm Coast City Council Candidate: The Live Interview
Jon Netts is a candidate for Palm Coast City Council, District 2. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
‘Marsy’s Law’ Protections for Crime Victims Sound Great, but Could Cause Problems
Giving crime victims constitutional rights equal to those of defendants sets up a clash over the accused person’s Sixth Amendment right to due process and the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Amendment 4: With 1.4 Million Florida Felons Banned from Voting, Voters Will Decide On Restoring Right
Amendment 4 would automatically restore the right to vote for felons who have completed their sentences, paid restitution and fulfilled probation. Murderers and sex offenders would be excluded.
Jon Netts for Palm Coast City Council, District 2
Jon Netts is running for Palm Coast City Council District 2, 2018 election.
Nelson Calls Scott a Liar, Scott Calls Nelson a Do-Nothing, Both Lob Kavanaugh at Each Other
Scott’s and Nelson’s tangle over Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, was one of many points of contentions in the senate-race debate Tuesday.
Long Dormant Flagler Democrats Go Volcanic as Andrew Gillum Ignites a Crowd of Hopes
Andrew Gillum, the gubernatorial candidate, spoke to some 400 people at a Democratic rally at the Palm Coast Community Center Sunday, the largest such rally in memory in reddish Flagler.
In Blow to Scott’s Play for Puerto Rican Vote, Nelson Wins Island Governor’s Endorsement
Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s endorsement of Nelson unleashed pushback from Scott, who’s made nine trips to storm-ravaged Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on the U.S. territory a year ago.
Environmentalists Call Scott’s Call for Red-Tide Research a Campaign Stunt
The state has documented 115 manatee and 318 sea turtle deaths this year in regions suspected to be related to red tide, which stretches 145 miles.
Gillum Wants $50,000 Minimum Teacher Salary. DeSantis Proposes 80% Formula.
In competing proposals, Democrat Andrew Gillum would provide teachers with a minimum $50,000 starting salary by raising the corporate tax, Ron DeSantis would require 80 percent of school funding to be spent in classrooms.
County Commission Candidate Dennis McDonald Must Pay $59,000 as Court Dismisses His Appeal
County Commission Candidate Dennis McDonald’s appeal of an order to pay $59,000 in attorneys’ fees was dismissed because he didn’t follow court rules. The order is related to a frivolous suit McDonald had filed against ex-Commissioner George Hanns.
Ron DeSantis Quits Congress to Focus on Governor’s Race Against Andrew Gillum
DeSantis had missed 4.2 percent of the roll call votes since January 2013, but the percentage has spiked to 53.8 percent since July.
Judge Orders Spanish-Language Sample Ballots in Flagler and 31 Other Counties
Making clear that only time restraints limited his decision, a federal judge ordered that sample ballots in Spanish be provided but stopped short of ordering actual Spanish-language ballots in Flagler and 31 other counties.
Justices Weigh Loading Charter Schools, Term Limits and Civics on One Amendment
Justices are only supposed to determine whether the ballot title and summary would provide an accurate description of the proposed constitutional amendment to voters.
Should Supervisors of Election Provide Spanish-Language Ballots? Judge Hears Arguments.
A federal judge today hears arguments in a lawsuit seeking to require 32 Florida counties, including Flagler, to provide Spanish-language ballots and other materials to Puerto Ricans who are eligible to vote in the state.
Ron DeSantis Uses ‘Monkey’ Comment To Refer to Policies of Andrew Gillum, Who Is Black
DeSantis’ use of the word “monkey” in relation to the first black candidate ever nominated by a major party for governor in Florida drew a firestorm of criticism from Democrats.
In Historic Upset, Democrat Andrew Gillum Beats Graham and Will Face DeSantis In Race for Governor
Andrew Gillum, Tallahassee’s mayor, has long been considered a rising star in the Florida Democratic Party but had trailed in the polls in a crowded primary.
Greg Hansen, Trevor Tucker, Joe Mullins Win, Janet McDonald , Fischer, Tipton and Branquinho in Runoffs
County Commissioner Greg Hansen and School Board member Trevor Tucker are headed to comfortable victories, and newcomer Joe Mullins is well ahead of Commissioner Nate McLaughlin.
Judge Boots Victim’s Rights’ Proposal Known as “Marsy’s Law” Off the Ballot, Citing Deceit
A judge found fault with what was left out of the ballot title and summary, and that the proposal would not explain to voters how it would affect the rights of people accused of crimes.
Tax Notices Mailed to Property Owners Point to Mostly Modest Increases
Property owners started receiving their tax notices in the mail last week. the numbers are not as dire as feared or as they seem, particularly when a tax bill is looked at whole rather than in its various parts.
John Tipton, Palm Coast City Council Candidate: The Live Interview
John Tipton is a candidate for Palm Coast City Council. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.