Election 2022: Everything you need to know for election day in St. Johns County
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Tuesday is election day.
So far, more than 92,000 of the 223,774 eligible voters have cast votes in the St. Johns County midterm election.
For the remaining registered voters, polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Remaining mail-in ballots can be dropped off to the Supervisor of Elections Office at 4455 Avenue A in St. Augustine before 7 p.m. As of Tuesday morning, there were 18,178 mail-in ballots that haven’t been returned for St. Johns County voters.
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Voters must vote at their designated precincts, which can be found on voter registration cards or online through the Supervisor of Elections precinct finder.
As of Tuesday morning, 92,129 voters have turned out — 54,180 voted early and 30,928 voted by mail — for a 41.17% turnout. Broken down by affiliation, that’s 53,044 Republicans, 23,602 Democrats, 14,154 no party affiliation and 1,329 other. The date with the largest turnout was Friday, Nov. 4, when 7,187 showed up to vote early.
Results will be updated throughout Tuesday night on the Supervisor of Elections website and staugustine.com.
If you have not had a chance to vote, here’s everything you need to know:
How to vote
When: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday
Find your precinct: Check your voter card or head to the St. Johns County precinct finder.
Sample ballot: Go to https://www.votesjc.gov/email-my-sample-ballot and input your full name as written on your voter registration card and birthdate.
The races for governor and Senate have garnered attention statewide, but there are several local seats on the ballot.
Congressional District 6
Republican Congressman Michael Waltz takes on Libertarian Joe Hannoush for the seat in District 6. Waltz has held the seat for four years. District 6 still represents St. Johns, Flagler and Volusia, but now it will also include Putnam, east Marion and northwest Lake counties.
State House District 19
House Speaker-designate Paul Renner takes on Democrat Adam Morley for the fifth time. Renner moved to Palm Coast in 2015 and won a special election for his seat and has defeated Morley in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020 for the same seat that represents both Flagler and St. Johns.
St. Augustine City Council Seat 4
Cynthia Garris and Bruce Maguire are running for Seat 4. Seat 4 is held by Commissioner John Valdes, who is not seeking re-election.
St. Augustine City Council Seat 5
Melinda Rakoncay and Jim Springfield are running for Seat 5. Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline is leaving Seat 5 to become mayor. Sikes-Kline won the mayor's race in August by receiving the majority of votes in the race. Mayor Tracy Upchurch did not seek re-election.
St. Johns County Commission District 4
Krista Keating-Joseph is running, but her write-in opponent Michael C. Lanza has withdrawn. Keating-Joseph barely topped Commissioner Jeremiah Blocker by 175 votes in the August primary.
St. Johns County School Board District 1
Veteran school board member Beverly Slough is facing newcomer Racheal M. Hand in the runoff for the District 1 seat. Slough, who was first elected in 2002. Both candidates are Republicans even though the seat is nonpartisan. Nancy Tray was eliminated in the August primary.
St. Johns County School Board District 3
Lauren Abell and Jennifer Collins are facing off to fill Bill Mignon's District 3 seat in this runoff. Rita Baldwin and Doug Russo were eliminated in the August primary.
Other St. Johns County races on the ballot
Mosquito Control District
Seat 2
Martha Gleason
Gary Howell
Will Kelman
Ed Slavin
Seat 4
Trish Becker
Chris George
Airport Authority
Group 1
Michelle Cash-Chapman
Suzanne W. Green
Russ Scott
Group 2
Dennis M. Clarke
Beth Tate
David W. Venters
Group 3
John C. “Jack” Gorman
Jennifer Liotta
Susan G. Phillips
Jaime R. Topp
St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach Commission
Group 1
Sandy Flowers
Linda Thomson
Group 3
Michelle Bennett
Harold David Bishop Jr.
Matt Brown
Group 5
Marco Klovanish
Melanie Sunshine Neale
Tom Rivers
Heritage Landing Community Development District
Seat 2
Alan Fernandez
Christine Mallatt
Southaven Community Development District
Seat 1
Jim Alexander
Tim Bannon
Sweetwater Creek Community Development District
Seat 1
Daniel Colin
Robert J. Lisotta
Trout Creek Community Development District
Seat 1
David M. Delmaster
Vincent Sajkowski
Greg Weaver
Trout Creek Community Development District
Seat 2
Donald Loper
Clint Wright
Turnbull Creek Community Development District
Seat 5
George M. Jacobs
Gianna Krol
Florida Constitutional Amendments
Florida Amendment 1 seeks to incentivize flood protections for Florida homeowners. If passed, homeowners would not face a property-tax increase for elevating their residences in order to protect against flooding.
Florida Amendment 2 aims to abolish the Constitution Revision Commission – a special group consisting of 37 unelected officials that convenes every 20 years and decides which amendments to take directly to Florida voters, bypassing the Florida House and Senate.
Florida Amendment 3 would provide a homestead exemption of up to $50,000 for certain types of workers, including classroom teachers, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, child welfare services professionals, active duty military members and Florida National Guard members.
All three amendments require 60% approval to pass.
Local referenda
One-Cent Infrastructure Surtax Ordinance: To provide for safer neighborhoods, reduce traffic congestion, and improve roadways and public facilities, shall St. Johns County levy a one-cent sales surtax for a period of ten years to fund road improvements, alternative transportation facilities, and infrastructure for law enforcement, emergency services, public parks and recreation facilities, libraries, storm water management, and coastal erosion management projects, beginning on January 1, 2023?
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Everything you need to know for Nov. 8 voting in St. Johns County
