Carolyn Ketchel will serve a third term on Okaloosa County Commission

Tom McLaughlin, Northwest Florida Daily News
·2 min read

Incumbent Carolyn Ketchel will serve a third term on the Okaloosa County Commission after taking down a pair of opponents in a race that Ketchel led all Tuesday night.

With 52 of 52 precincts counted, unofficial results had Ketchel defeating CPA Matt Turpin by 18,809 votes to 14126, or 48% to 36%. CareySue Beasley, an Okaloosa Island resident and local entrepreneur, trailed Ketchel and Turpin with 6,220 votes or just under 18% of the 37,834 ballots counted.

Carolyn Ketchel
Carolyn Ketchel

Experience in the trenches: Okaloosa County Commission approves design work for County Road 2 upgrades, chooses new chairwoman, vice chairman

Heated debate: Okaloosa commissioners trade barbs over tax rate

The campaign: Okaloosa County District 2 Commissioner candidates share views

"I'm very happy," she said. "I look forward to serving as I have served and be a full-time commissioner for the county."

Ketchel, a retired social worker, had campaigned on a three-prong platform of infrastructure, public safety, and the potential rolling back of the countywide millage rate. She will spend another four years representing District 2, which encompasses Shalimar, Okaloosa Island and parts of Fort Walton Beach.

"I think this vote says a lot of people feel the county is headed in the right direction, and it makes me very very happy to be part of this commission at this time," she said.

Both Turpin and Beasley entered the race as political novices.

Turpin who vowed as a commissioner to “make sure that our freedoms are not jeopardized, that there’s not government mandates, that we don’t close businesses and that we don’t interfere with business operations” said Monday that he was happy to have provided Okaloosa County voters a choice among candidates.

Four years ago, both Ketchel and District 4 Commissioner Trey Goodwin ran unopposed for a second term in office.

Goodwin was again unopposed and will be sworn in alongside Ketchel to serve his third four-year term.

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to serve here in Okaloosa County. We've made some really good progress for our residents and visitors. But there's still work to be done," Goodwin said Tuesday afternoon. "I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and work for our community and citizens."

District 4 adjoins Ketchel's District 2 and encompasses incorporated Fort Walton Beach, portions of unincorporated Fort Walton Beach and the city of Mary Esther.

Beasley, a retired registered nurse who now owns three small businesses, ran on the issues of transparency, infrastructure and public safety.

Her message to voters was that she had no plans to be a career politician and was not interested in political endorsements or contributions. She put $75.000 of her own money into her campaign.

Okaloosa County's primary elections were decided by 41,449, or 29.28% of the county's 141,549 registered voters.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Ketchel wins election for third term on Okaloosa County Commission