Voters in Pasco and Hillsborough counties have spoken, choosing their candidates for the Nov. 8 General Election, and deciding the outcome of proposed property tax increases for the Pasco and Hillsborough school districts.
All voters were eligible to vote on the referendums for the tax increases, and in the races for school board and judges, which are nonpartisan seats.
The tax initiative proposed by the Pasco School Board passed, while the one sought by the Hillsborough County School Board failed. The vote was so close in Hillsborough, it triggered an automatic machine recount.
In the races for Pasco County School Board, voters returned incumbents Cynthia Armstrong and Megan Harding for another four-year term.
Armstrong won the District 3 seat, receiving 58.87% of the vote, defeating Matthew Geiger, who received 41.13%. Harding secured District 5 by picking up 71.32% of the vote, compared to her challenger, Charles Philip Touseull, who took home 28.86%.
In the race for District 1, Al Hernandez garnered 44.77% of the vote, James Washington received 31.67% and Stephen A. Meisman attracted 31.66%.
Since no one received at least 50% plus 1 vote, Hernandez and Washington will compete in a runoff in November to see who will fill the District 1 seat being vacated by Allen Altman.
In the Republican Primary for the District 2 Pasco County Commission seat, Seth Weightman was the top vote-getter, with 48.88% of the vote. He will face write-in candidate Louie Rodriguez in the November election.
In District 4, Gary Bradford received 43.96%, overtaking incumbent Christina Fitzpatrick, who received 37.7% of the vote. Shannon J. Wittwer, a third candidate in the field, garnered 18.35%.
Bradford now faces write-in candidate Cory A. Patterson in the November General Election.
In Hillsborough County, in the race for the District 4 seat on the Hillsborough County Commission, Michael Joseph Owen received 61.79% of the vote defeating Noelle Licor, who received 38.21%. Owen has been elected as the new commissioner in District 4, since there are no other opponents.
In the races for Hillsborough County School Board, incumbent Stacy Hahn secured 63.76% of the vote, securing another term in District 2. She defeated challenger Damaris Allen, who received 36.24% of the vote.
Patricia “Patti” Rendon won District 4, by receiving 53.10%. She defeated Hunter Gambrell, who received 28.44% and Danielle Smalley, who received 18.46%.
In District 6, incumbent Karen Perez was reelected, with 50.74% of the vote. She fended off Alysha “Aly Marie” Legge, who secured 37.51% of the vote and Roshaun Gendrett, who garnered 11.75%.
Published August 31, 2022
