JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Almost 41 percent of Duval County's registered voters are Democrats compared to 35 percent Republican.
A stat that would seemingly favor Democratic candidates. However, Nick Howland's runoff election victory for the At-Large Group 3 seat over Democrat Tracye Polson increases the Republican majority on the city council to 14-5.
Howland received nearly 52 percent of the votes, while Polson earned 48 percent. 20 percent of Duval County came out to vote.
"Having these elections in these weird off cycle terms, it puts a real burden on the voters to show up and vote in march when people typically think about voting in November," University of North Florida political science professor, Mike Binder, said.
Binder says off-cycle elections, or elections that take place in odd years and/or not in November, tend to favor Republicans who traditionally show up to vote more.
The UNF professor concluded the off-cycle election period cancels out the six percent advantage Democrats own in Duval County.
Off-cycle elections have been a mainstay in Duval County for years. Binder doesn't see that changing anytime soon.
"The people that would need to make that decision are the ones that got elected under the current rules. There's a big bias toward keeping things the way it worked because you got elected that way and you get to keep your job," Binder said.
Howland will replace Democrat, Tommy Hazouri, who passed away in September. Howland's win means the Republicans increase their majority lead on the city council to 14-5.
Binder says Howland could have a big impact when it comes votes for development projects in the future. The UNF professor used the Jacksonville Jaguars Lot J proposal as an example. Lot J was a 450-million dollar project to bolster the area around TIAA Bank Field with entertainment, hospitality, parking, and retail. It was ultimately voted down by the city council.
"If Tommy Hazouri were not in office and Howland were the representative at the time, Lot J would have happened. When it comes to supermajority's needing votes on council, Nick Howland is going to trend with the current majority very supportive of the mayor and his policy's."
