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Live: Election Day Updates from around Central Florida

election-2022-mid-terms-live-blog

Transportation tax rejected; rent stabilization approved

November 8 - 10:10 p.m.
By Joe Byrnes, WMFE

Orange County voters have rejected a one-cent sales tax for transportation.

With nearly 99% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, the tax had received just 41.5% of the vote.

Orange County did approve a rent stabilization measure that would cap increases for multi-family units for one year. It won in a landslide.

But it won't take effect. A court found last week that it could not be certified because the ballot summary was misleading.


Maribel Gomez Cordero re-elected to Orange County Commission

November 8 - 9:55 p.m.
By Joe Byrnes, WMFE

With 34 of 35 precincts reporting, Orange County Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero has won re-election in District 4, defeating Mercedes Fonseca. Gomez Cordero was leading with 57.3% of the vote.

In another Orange County Commission race, Mike Scott defeated Lawanna Gelzer in a close contest in District 6. He received 51.15% of the vote, a difference of 741.


Susan Plasencia overtakes Carlos Guillermo Smith in tight House District 37 race

November 8 -  8:53 p.m.

by Joe Mario Pedersen

Republican newcomer Susan Plasencia won the House seat for District 37, defeating Carlos Guillermo Smith — who served as the House District 49 Representative. 

Guillermo Smith led Plasencia in Orange County receiving 54% of the vote, but Plasencia gained the lead she needed thanks to Seminole County voters giving her 57% of the vote. Overall, Plasencia won the race with just over 2,300 votes. 

The newly reshaped House District 37 comprises much of the UCF area, parts of east Orange County, and Seminole.

https://twitter.com/PlasenciaSusan/status/1590168274998022147


Central Florida voters approve special taxes for schools

November 8 - 9:25 p.m. (updated at 9:53 p.m.)
By Joe Byrnes, WMFE

Voters in Lake, Brevard and Marion counties have approved or renewed special property taxes for schools.

In Lake County, the voters opted to continue a 3/4 mill property tax for school safety. The tax received 59.8% of the vote.

In Brevard, voters approved a 1 mill property tax mostly destined to increase teacher pay and benefits. It received 58% of the vote.

In Marion, a measure continuing a 1 mill property tax for vital programs such as music and art and vocational courses won with 65%.


Seminole County commissioners win re-election

November 8 - 9:10 p.m.
By Joe Byrnes, WMFE

With nearly all votes counted in Seminole County, county commissioners Amy Lockhart and Jay Zembower have won re-election.

Zembower, a Republican, had 56% of the vote and was poised to win District 2 over Democrat Katrina Shadix.

Lockhart, also a Republican, had 60% and was poised to win District 4 over Patti Smith, who ran as an independent.


Anna Eskamani defends District 42 seat

November 8 -  8:53 p.m.

by Joe Mario Pedersen

Incumbent Anna Eskamani successfully defended her House seat of District 42, beating her opponent Republican Bonnie Jackson, a political newcomer and Winter Park attorney.

Eskamani won the seat by a margin of nearly 9,000 votes. 

“Words cannot express my immense gratitude to our incredible constituents for your support, and to our volunteers who got us to the finish line,” Eskamani said in a tweet.

Eskamani also said that House District 42 saw an 11% greater turnout compared to Orange County.

https://twitter.com/AnnaForFlorida/status/1590152119780544513


Voters reject Villages independent fire district in a tight race

November 8 - 8:20 p.m.
By Joe Byrnes, WMFE

Villages residents in Sumter County have turned down a new self-funded independent fire district sought by The Villages and approved by the Legislature.

With all the precincts counted (but not all the mail-in ballots), the unofficial tally is 48.6% in favor of the new district and 51.4% against it.

The difference is 1,977 votes.


District 37 is a tight race

November 8 - 8:00 p.m. by Joe Mario Pedersen

The race for the House District 37 seat is close with Republican candidate Susan Plasencia trailing behind Democrat Carlos Guillermo Smith by less than 2,000 votes in Orange County. But Plasencia leads the race in Seminole County by nearly 3,000 votes.

Plasencia is a political newcomer. Her opponent, Guillermo Smith, serves as the representative of District 49, which previously covered the area surrounding the University of Central Florida. As a result of redistricting, District 37 now covers much of the UCF area, parts of east Orange County, and Seminole.

 


Orange County transportation tax lags, rent stabilization leads

November 8 - 7:40 p.m.
By Joe Byrnes, WMFE

Early results show the Orange County transportation sales tax lagging. With early voting counted and 201 of 257 precincts reporting, it's 58% opposed and 42% in favor.

A rent stabilization measure that would cap rent increases for multi-family units for one year is leading, with 59% of voters so far in favor of it. But it won't take effect after a court found last week that it could not be certified because the ballot summary is misleading.

Orange County turnout looks low compared to the last midterm election

November 8 - 5:30 p.m. by Joe Mario Pedersen

The Orange Supervisor of Elections Office reported that over 62,000 people had voted today, as of 1 p.m. The count brought Orange’s total voter turnout to 37.5%. The election office records show that during the 2018 Midterm General Election, Orange had a total turnout of 58%.

County data shows that the busiest precinct Tuesday has been at the Wedgefield Golf Club, in east Orange, which has seen over 1,200 voters today. Behind it is the Oakfield Presbyterian Church, south of Lake Apopka, with over 1,100 votes.


As voters head to the poll, the state of the economy is top of mind

November 8 - 11 a.m. by Talia Blake

Central Floridians are heading to the polls today and issues like inflation are at the top of many voters’ minds.  WMFE’s Talia Blake caught up with Sean Snaith, director of the Institute for Economic Forecasting at the University of Central Florida, to talk about the role the economy plays as voters cast their ballots. Hear the full story >>


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A man listens to speakers during a Souls to the Polls event organized by faith leaders and labor groups at an early voting location, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)[/caption]

Stetson professor says voter suppression laws hurt early voting in Florida

November 7 - 3 p.m. Some 4.7 million Floridians have voted in this year’s midterm election, a significant decrease from the 2018 midterms. A forecasted storm could further complicate things at the polls on election day. Early voting in 36 states is actually surpassing 2018 numbers, but notably in Florida and Texas participation in this year’s midterm election is way down. Stetson Law professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy says that’s most likely due to both states passing what she calls voter intimidation laws.  Read the full story >>


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Photo: Flickr Creative Commons[/caption]

2 million GOP voters cast ballots in Florida before Election Day, outpacing Democrats

November 7 - 9 a.m.
Early voting is over and, though mail-in ballots continue to come in, the GOP has a strong advantage going into Election Day Tuesday. As of early Sunday morning, about 2 million Republicans in Florida had already voted by mail or through in-person early voting. That beats the Democrats by more than 337,000 votes. Some counties, like Orange and Osceola, also had early voting on Sunday. Those additional numbers were not in the  statewide report available early Monday morning. Read the full story >>


More Election Coverage

https://www.wmfe.org/2022-midterm-election-coverage-central-florida