Today is the deadline to register to vote in next month’s special county-wide Jacksonville City Council election.
Those who aren’t registered can do so online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov or by dropping off a voter registration form at a Jacksonville Public Library branch or the Duval County Supervisor of Elections Office at 105 E. Monroe St. before 5 p.m.
You can check to see if you’re registered to vote by going to https://registration.elections.myflorida.com/CheckVoterStatus.
The Dec. 7 election for City Council At-Large Group 3 will replace Tommy Hazouri who died in September. It’s one of five county-wide at-large seats; the remaining 14 council seats are split into districts. Every Duval County resident can vote in the election.
In-person early voting begins Nov. 7 and ends Dec. 5. Mail ballots have already been sent, and about 1.5 percent of registered voters have voted so far.
“I encourage everybody who wants to participate to make sure you’re registered,” said Robert Phillips, the elections’ office’s chief elections officer.
The election has attracted two Democrats and two Republicans so far.
- Nick Howland, a veteran and nonprofit executive who previously ran for Duval County School Board. Howland is a Republican.
- Tracye Polson, a clinical social worker and small business owner who previously ran a close race for a state house district. Polson is a Democrat.
- James “Coach” Jacobs, a somewhat perennial candidate who previously ran against Hazouri for this seat and who ran for a School Board seat last year. Jacobs is a Democrat.
- Howdy Russell, owner of Jumpin’ Jax House of Food. Russell is a Republican.
After the 2020 election, about 19,000 registered voters were removed from the rolls because they hadn’t voted in 2018 or 2020 and had mail returned undeliverable before that. More were removed for other reasons, such as moving away or dying.
From Oct. 31, 2020, to now, Duval lost about 26,000 fewer registered voters. About 41 percent of registered voters are Democrats, about 35 percent are Republicans and the rest either don’t have a party or registered with a minor party.
Since the presidential election, in Duval County, Democrats have about 14,000 fewer voters, Republicans have 12,000 fewer voters, minor parties have an extra 900 voters and there are about 650 fewer independent voters.