NewsLine staff
Fernandina Beach has a new mayor, Nassau County schools will keep their extra 1 mill for four more years, and two seats on the Amelia Walk Community Development District board were decided by fewer than 20 votes each.
Nearly 62% of Nassau County’s 82,056 registered voters cast ballots in the Nov. 3 general election, 50,767 in all. Here’s how they voted.
All results are preliminary and unofficial. Early voting, vote-by-mail and precinct results are fully reported, but provisional ballots had not been counted as of election night. Results become final when the Nassau County Canvassing Board certifies them. For complete results, visit votenassaufl.gov.
Fernandina Beach mayor
City Commissioner Genece Minshew defeated fellow Commissioner Tim Poynter for mayor, 3,736 votes (56.1%) to 2,927 (43.9%).
Minshew will be sworn in at the City Commission’s organizational meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 204 Ash St. The mayor serves a two-year term.
When Minshew takes office as mayor, her Seat 2 on the commission becomes vacant. Under the city charter, the remaining commissioners will appoint a qualified resident to fill it. The appointee must be a registered voter who lives in the city limits. The commission is expected to set the application and appointment process at its upcoming meetings.
Poynter keeps his Seat 3 on the commission.
School millage renewal
Voters renewed the Nassau County School District’s 1-mill property tax, 30,634 votes (62.2%) to 18,605 (37.8%). The tax pays for additional teacher and staff pay, fine arts and athletics, and school safety and security. The renewal runs from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2031.
Support grew from 2022, when voters first approved the tax with 53.35% of the vote.
Hilliard
Shane M. Barber and incumbent Dallis Hunter won the two open seats on the Hilliard Town Council. Barber received 556 votes (39.6%) and Hunter 512 (36.5%). Heather Gates received 336 (23.9%).
Hilliard voters also approved a charter amendment creating a town manager position to serve as the town’s chief executive and administrative officer, 477 votes (51.6%) to 447 (48.4%). They rejected an amendment that would have removed the residency requirement for the town clerk, 576 votes (61.9%) to 354 (38.1%).
Amelia Island Mosquito Control District
Debby Portier won the Group 2 seat on the Amelia Island Mosquito Control District board, 7,656 votes (59.8%) to 5,155 (40.2%) for Todd Nuckols.
Amelia Walk Community Development District
Both Amelia Walk races were close. In Seat 2, incumbent David Swan defeated William Knudsen, 538 votes (50.8%) to 522 (49.2%), a 16-vote margin. In Seat 4, incumbent Jeffrey E. Robinson defeated Cathleen Rutsey, 544 votes (50.6%) to 531 (49.4%), a 13-vote margin.
State constitutional amendments
Amendment 3, which raises the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, passed statewide with about 62% of the vote, above the 60% required. Nassau voters approved it 36,781 (74.1%) to 12,874 (25.9%).
Amendment 2, which would have exempted farm and ranch machinery from tangible personal property taxes, fell short statewide with about 58%. Nassau voters supported it 33,842 (69.6%) to 14,810 (30.4%).
Amendment 1, which would have raised the cap on the state’s Budget Stabilization Fund, failed statewide with about 40%. In Nassau, it received 21,267 yes votes (44.2%) and 26,874 no votes (55.8%).
