Duval voters kept the 1-mill school tax with 75.9% Yes. House District 15 is within recount range by 154 votes. Every Duval result, from the unofficial count.
Duval County voters renewed the one-mill school operating tax by a wide margin Tuesday. The race for state House District 15 is close enough for a recount.
In the unofficial count, 75.93% voted to continue the school tax for four more years. In House District 15, Chadd Charland, who has no party affiliation, leads Republican Dean Black by 154 votes out of 40,054 cast.
The figures are from the Duval County Supervisor of Elections’ results page, last updated at 12:26 p.m. Wednesday. All 159 precincts have reported. The count is unofficial. The office says it does not yet include mail ballots whose signatures are being cured or overseas ballots, which can arrive up to 10 days after the election.
Turnout was 55.07%. Of 655,219 registered voters, 360,840 cast a ballot.
The school tax
The question asked whether to continue the current one-mill property tax for school operating costs for four more years, from July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2031. A mill is $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value.
- Yes, for continuation: 257,344 (75.93%)
- No: 81,596 (24.07%)
The School Board asked for the vote in a resolution on May 5. The City Council called the election in Ordinance 2026-387-E, approved 15-0 on June 9. The council’s bill summary says the money is shared proportionately with charter schools and goes to:
- compensating teachers, security and support staff
- preserving academic programs
- protecting arts, athletics and student activities
The ballot question also promised annual reporting on how the money is spent. Because the vote continues an existing tax, it does not add a new line to property tax bills. Our property taxes guide has the full list of Duval rates.
The three state amendments
A constitutional amendment needs 60% of the vote statewide to pass, under Article XI, Section 5 of the Florida Constitution. The Duval count alone does not decide them. The Florida Division of Elections had not posted its statewide 2026 general election results on its results site as of Wednesday afternoon.
| Amendment | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1, Budget Stabilization Fund | 131,284 (39.10%) | 204,492 (60.90%) |
| No. 2, tangible personal property on agricultural land | 187,983 (55.60%) | 150,112 (44.40%) |
| No. 3, increased homestead exemption | 194,331 (56.50%) | 149,611 (43.50%) |
Close races
State House District 15. Charland (NPA) has 19,855 votes, 49.57%. Black (REP) has 19,701, 49.19%. Write-ins took 498. The 154-vote gap is 0.38% of votes cast. Florida law calls for a machine recount when the margin is 0.5% or less once the unofficial returns are in, under Section 102.141.
Atlantic Beach Commission Seat 4. Lisa Herrold leads Jennifer Lagner by one vote, 3,156 to 3,155. Atlantic Beach is its own city in Duval County, about 15 miles east of downtown Jacksonville. In the city’s mayor-commissioner race, Curtis R. Ford beat Nancy Staats 3,846 to 3,099.
School Board
| Seat | Winner | Votes | Runner-up | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 2 | Donovan Bradley | 28,623 (53.29%) | Donna Mae Westrich | 25,086 (46.71%) |
| District 4 | Rhodesia “Rho” Butler | 22,495 (50.63%) | James “Coach” Jacobs | 21,711 (48.87%) |
| District 6 | Lindsey Denmark | 24,746 (53.09%) | Clarence “CJ” James | 21,865 (46.91%) |
School Board races are nonpartisan. Write-ins took 221 votes in District 4.
State House and county court
- District 12: Terrance Freeman (REP) 32,856 (51.74%), Benjamin Sandlin (DEM) 30,652 (48.26%).
- District 17: Jessica Baker (REP) 34,924 (50.69%), Jacob Guerrero (DEM) 33,972 (49.31%). The gap is 952 votes.
- County Court Judge, Group 13: Melina Buncome 162,888 (52.38%), Octavius A. Holliday Jr. 148,070 (47.62%).
Duval voters also kept Supreme Court Justice Carlos G. Muñiz (51.76% Yes) and Fifth District Court of Appeal judges John M. Harris (54.91%), Scott D. Makar (56.58%) and F. Rand Wallis (53.59%). Retention needs a simple majority statewide.
How Duval voted for statewide and federal offices
These are Duval votes only. The statewide totals come from the Division of Elections.
| Office | Republican | Democrat |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senate | Ashley Moody, 158,079 (44.04%) | Angie Nixon, 197,445 (55.01%) |
| Governor | Byron Donalds, 157,054 (43.80%) | David Jolly, 196,142 (54.70%) |
| Attorney general | James Uthmeier, 160,187 (45.03%) | Jose Javier Rodriguez, 195,514 (54.97%) |
| Chief financial officer | Blaise Ingoglia, 158,777 (44.88%) | Annette Taddeo, 194,983 (55.12%) |
| Agriculture commissioner | Wilton Simpson, 157,243 (44.40%) | Joey Mendoza Atkins, 195,552 (55.21%) |
Both congressional districts that cover Jacksonville also include voters outside Duval, so the Duval count does not decide them. In Duval’s share of District 4, Democrat LaShonda “L.J.” Holloway had 100,844 votes (64.04%) to Republican Aaron Bean’s 54,465 (34.59%). In Duval’s share of District 5, Republican John H. Rutherford had 104,518 (52.29%) to Democrat Rachel Grage’s 94,952 (47.51%).
What it means for you
- This vote adds no new school tax. It keeps the one mill already on your bill from July 2027 to June 2031.
- If the Supervisor of Elections told you your mail ballot signature needs fixing, act now. Florida law allows a cure affidavit until 5 p.m. on the second day after the election, which is Thursday, Nov. 5. Call 904-255-8683.
- Results can still move in the House 15 and Atlantic Beach Seat 4 races. They are final only once the county canvassing board certifies them.
- Our voting page has the Supervisor of Elections’ contacts and what happens next.
These are unofficial results. We will update this page when the count is certified or a recount is ordered.
Frequently asked questions
Did the Duval County school tax pass in 2026?
Yes. In the unofficial count, 257,344 Duval voters (75.93%) voted to continue the one-mill school operating tax for four more years, July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2031. It needed a simple majority.
Who won the Duval County School Board races in 2026?
In the unofficial count, Donovan Bradley won District 2, Rhodesia “Rho” Butler won District 4 and Lindsey Denmark won District 6.
Is there a recount in Florida House District 15?
Not yet. In Duval’s unofficial count, Chadd Charland (NPA) leads Dean Black (REP) by 154 votes, 0.38% of votes cast. Florida law calls for a machine recount at 0.5% or less once the unofficial returns are in.
Have your say