What Is On Your Ballot?: Alachua County & Gainesville

Election day is tomorrow Tuesday, November 8th. It is the North Central Florida Apartment Association’s priority to keep members informed on upcoming deadlines and general information about the election on November 8th. Below is some helpful information on how to vote on election day, and what you might find on your ballot at your local precinct.

Election Day Voting

The polls are open on Election Day, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Any voters waiting in line at 7:00 p.m. will have the opportunity to cast a ballot. To find your precinct or polling location, or for the most current information about polling place changes, visit your supervisor of elections' website here. While voting on Election Day, you must bring a current and valid photo ID with a signature. Any one of the following photo IDs, found through this link, will be accepted.

If your photo ID does not include your signature, you will be asked to provide another ID that has your signature. If you do not bring proper ID, you can still vote a provisional ballot. As long as you are eligible and voted in the proper precinct, your provisional ballot will count provided the signature on your provisional ballot matches the signature in your registration record.

What Can You Find On Your Ballot?

Alachua County

Alachua County has two referendum votes that all county residents will have an opportunity to vote on. The first being a referendum to introduce single-member districts for the county commission. Currently, candidates for county commission have to live in a specific district, but they are elected by the entire county. If adopted, the candidate for county commission would only be elected by residents within the district they are running for.

A second ballot measure is asking county residents whether they would approve an increase in the local sales tax by 1% to pay for the Wild Spaces Public Places initiative, road repairs, fire stations, and affordable housing. The increase in sales tax would last for 10 years, and would start on January 1, 2023. Alachua County residents also have the opportunity to vote on their choice for County Commissioners. District 1, 2, and 4 are all on the ballot, so there may be an opportunity for a new majority on the commission, come election night.

City of Gainesville

The City of Gainesville has one ballot measure that would amend the City’s charter that would provide more time for a city election when there is a vacancy on the city commission. The charter amendment, if passed, would require a special election to be called within 60 days of the vacancy instead of the current requirement that a special election be held within 60 days of the vacancy start. The City also has separate elections for Mayor and City Commission. After the primary election in August, Ed Bielarski and Harvey Ward moved onto the general election where the final choice for Mayor will be made. There are also two City Commission races on the ballot for District 2 & 3. 

If you are looking for any further information, please visit the Florida Division of Elections’ website here. If you have any questions about NCFAA's advocacy efforts or you would like to become more involved, you can contact Johnmichael, Local Government Affairs Manager, at johnmichael@faahq.org or by phone at 407-960-2910.