JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Election Results: 2020 general election results for Northeast Florida counties can be found here after the polls close at 7 p.m. ET on Nov. 3, 2020.
For Florida Amendment results, click here.
For other election results, click here.
Both Clay County and Duval County have voted to pass a half-cent sales tax designed to help aid both public school systems.
In Clay County, the tax will help fund building and technology upgrades and improve security. It is expected to collect more than $13 million a year over the next 30 years, so a total of more than $400 million.
In Duval County, the half-cent sales tax increase is a tax that is designed to benefit Duval County Public Schools by helping them pay for construction and repairs.
For DCPS, it's expected to generate nearly $2 billion for maintenance and repairs over the next 15 years. DCPS would start receiving these funds in January if passed, and collection would last 15 years.
The half-cent in Duval has garnered widespread support and has faced little opposition, with backing from both public and charter school advocates.
Both referendums needed and received a majority vote to pass. In Duval County, the referendum received a whopping 67 percent majority share of the vote.
"It's fantastic," said school board member Lori Hershey. "This is an excellent, exciting time for Duval County. This is the first time since consolidation that the city has made this kind of investment in our students and in our schools."
Supporters of the DCPS half-cent held a party at River City Brewing in Downtown Jacksonville Tuesday night, praising the school board, local teachers' union, members of Jacksonville City Council and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund for work put into getting the referendum passed.
"This is a historic night for Jacksonville," said Councilman Matt Carlucci. "I'm telling you, this is going to make a big difference for Jacksonville, for the students and for our city as a whole."
"I'm so proud of the city, and so excited for our future," said Rachael Tutwiler Fortune, President of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund. "It's been a long process. We've been tracking the public's willingness for a small tax increase to support the public schools. Six years ago when we first saw the polling, we saw the momentum."