Okaloosa County voters approved continuing the county’s half-cent sales tax for another 10 years Tuesday, according to final unofficial results from the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections.
The referendum passed with 68.8% of the vote, 52,040 to 23,554. The renewal takes effect Jan. 1, 2029. According to the ballot language, the money will pay for law enforcement and public safety facilities, land acquisition, traffic congestion relief, road, bridge and sidewalk work, flood control and water quality improvements, and other public facilities. A citizens’ committee will oversee the spending.
In the Okaloosa County School Board District 1 race, Jerry Buckman defeated JD Peacock with 51.7% of the vote, 34,909 to 32,560.
Of the county’s 147,989 registered voters, 77,922 cast ballots, a turnout of 52.65%, according to the Supervisor of Elections.
Fort Walton Beach City Council
Tyler Capelotti, Denise Dierker, Schuyler Black and Matthew Turpin won the four open seats on the Fort Walton Beach City Council from a field of 10 candidates.
Turpin finished 148 votes ahead of Brandon Bishop for the fourth seat.
- Tyler Capelotti: 2,679 votes
- Denise Dierker: 2,546
- Schuyler Black: 2,389
- Matthew Turpin: 2,302
- Brandon Bishop: 2,154
- T. Payne Walker: 1,996
- Gloria J. DeBerry: 1,832
- Jeffrey Pendleton: 1,779
- Steve Caldarelli: 1,609
- Glen Guarin: 1,189
Destin City Council
Chatham Morgan, John Stephens III and Rodney Braden won the three open seats on the Destin City Council. Braden finished 299 votes ahead of Ross A. Haynes for the third seat.
- Chatham Morgan: 3,557 votes
- John Stephens III: 2,963
- Rodney Braden: 2,490
- Ross A. Haynes: 2,191
Crestview City Council
Dusty B. Allison won the Precinct 1 seat on the Crestview City Council, and Sylvester L. Echols won the Precinct 2 seat.
Precinct 1 seat:
- Dusty B. Allison: 3,922 votes (63.4%)
- Frederick Jackson Butts III: 2,268 (36.6%)
Precinct 2 seat:
- Sylvester L. Echols: 2,510 votes (40.1%)
- April Rencich: 2,221 (35.5%)
- Louis E. Rodriquez: 1,530 (24.4%)
State and congressional races
Republicans won the state legislative and congressional races on Okaloosa County ballots, according to unofficial district-wide results from the Florida Division of Elections.
- Jimmy Patronis won the Representative in Congress District 1 race with 63% of the vote over Democrat Gay Valimont and Tyler L. Davis, who had no party affiliation.
- Jay Trumbull won the State Senate District 2 race with 72% of the vote over Democrat Lauren Donahoo.
- Nathan Boyles won the State House District 3 race with 73% of the vote over Democrat Ingrid D. Wadsworth.
- Patt Maney won the State House District 4 race with 67% of the vote over Democrat John Peter Emerling.
All results are unofficial until certified.
