The general runoff for Jacksonville, Florida, was on May 16, 2023. The general election was held on March 21, and the filing deadline to run passed on Jan. 13.
Candidates competed for property appraiser, city council, and mayor. Runoffs were required for these races because no candidate received a majority of the general election vote.
Donna Deegan (D) defeated Daniel Davis (R) 52% to 48% in the runoff for mayor. Deegan will be the second Democrat to hold the office since 1993. Joyce Morgan (D) defeated Jason Fischer (R) 50.6% to 49.4% in the runoff for Duval County property appraiser. Candidates for city council competed in runoffs for At-large Position 5, District 2, District 7, District 8, District 9, District 11, and District 14. Two of two incumbents were re-elected in the city council runoffs.
Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and the 12th-largest city in the U.S. by population.
Donna Deegan (D) defeated Daniel Davis (R) 52% to 48% in the May 16 runoff election for mayor of Jacksonville, Florida. Deegan will be the second Democrat to hold the office since 1993.
Incumbent Mayor Lenny Curry (R) was term-limited. Curry was first elected in 2015, making Jacksonville the most populous American city with a Republican mayor.
Deegan and Davis advanced from a field of eight candidates in the March 21, 2023, general election, where Deegan received 39% of the vote and Davis received 25%.
Deegan founded two philanthropic organizations focused on breast cancer issues and was a local television news anchor and investigative journalist. Deegan’s endorsements included the Jacksonville chapter of the National Organization for Women PAC, Branch 53 of the North Florida Letter Carriers union, and former Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried’s (D) PAC, Won’t Back Down. In her Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey, Deegan said her priorities included “improvements in infrastructure, public health, housing affordability, and an inclusive economy” and that “For too long, that leadership has been lacking in a City Hall that only works for a handful of well-connected people.”
Davis was the chief executive officer of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and served in the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 15 from 2010 to 2014. Davis’ endorsements included Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters (R), the Jacksonville Brotherhood of Firefighters, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R). In his election night speech, he said, “Will we elect a mayor who will stand with our brave men and women in uniform to make Jacksonville safer? Or will we, as Jacksonvillians, go down the pathway of San Francisco and New York?” In addition to his support for law enforcement, he highlighted his support for school choice and said he would “stand with Governor Ron DeSantis (R) to keep Florida free.”
Donna Deegan (D), who is running in the Jacksonville mayoral runoff election on May 16, 2023, completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.
In Jacksonville, the mayor serves as the city’s chief executive and is responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, appointing departmental directors, and overseeing the city’s day-to-day operations. The mayor also represents the city on the state, national, and international levels.
Here are excerpts from Deegan’s survey responses:
What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
“I believe that strong leadership, political will, and a clear vision will bring improvements in infrastructure, public health, housing affordability, and an inclusive economy. For too long, that leadership has been lacking in a City Hall that only works for a handful of well-connected people.”
“As a 25-year veteran TV news reporter, I know Jacksonville through and through. My time spent in every corner of the city earned me the trust of the community. […] If elected I’ll bring my experience and dedication to advocating for women and families to represent everyone in City Hall.”
“I would hope to be remembered as the mayor who finally brought Jacksonville to its full potential downtown as we open up our riverfront and bring the people of all walks into our vibrant, resilient, connected neighborhoods and parks. And the mayor who made sure that in a city with the best healthcare in the country, we also have the best health outcomes.”
What do you perceive to be your city’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
“Jacksonville is being held back by a City Hall that works for a handful of well-connected people, instead of everyone who lives here. It’s time to bring an end to the lack of transparency and accountability, corruption and self-dealing. My governing philosophy will be bringing ALL our voices into City Hall and building a city that works for everyone. We will prioritize the projects and policies that make Jacksonville a welcoming, inclusive, and innovative city where we all can thrive.”
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the state government?
“Home rule is one of the most important principles for governing. Local communities know how to govern themselves best. More and more, the state has been ‘preempting’ local municipalities from passing ordinances that the state legislature disagrees with. I’m against it, and it goes against everything that the City has stood for since its founding.”
To read more of Deegan’s survey responses, click here. Deegan also completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read those responses.
We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.
Donna Deegan (D) and Daniel Davis (R) will advance to the May 16, 2023, runoff election for mayor of Jacksonville, Florida. On election night, with 94% of precincts reporting, Deegan led with 40% of the vote, followed by Davis with 25%. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the top-two finishers advanced to the runoff.
Al Ferraro (R), who received 16% of the vote when the race was called, was the only other candidate to finish with more than 10%. Audrey Gibson (D), LeAnna Cumber (R), Frank Keasler (R), Omega Allen (I), and write-in Brian Griffin (I) also ran.
Deegan is a philanthropist, author, and local television news anchor. This was her first run for elected office. Deegan completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, where she listed “improvements in infrastructure, public health, housing affordability, and an inclusive economy,” advocating for women and families, and improving downtown Jacksonville as her key messages. Click here to read her full survey.
Davis is the chief executive officer of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and a former member of the Florida House of Representatives. His key messages included investing in public safety and improving public schools. Regarding his economic priorities, he wrote on his campaign website, “We can grow jobs AND prepare infrastructure. We can have success at the Port AND protect the river. We can create world class amenities for sports and entertainment opportunities for everyone AND perform the nuts and bolts of government.”
Incumbent Mayor Lenny Curry (R) is term-limited and could not run for re-election. Jacksonville has had a Republican mayor since Curry was elected in 2015, making it the most populous American city with a Republican mayor. In 2015, Curry defeated then-incumbent Alvin Brown (D) 51% to 49% in the May runoff election. The 2019 mayoral election was decided in the March general election, with Curry receiving 58% of the vote over Anna Lopez Brosche’s (R) 24%, Omega Allen’s (I) 11%, and Jimmy Hill’s (R) 8%.
As of March 2023, the partisan breakdown of the mayors of the 100 largest U.S. cities was 62 Democrats, 26 Republicans, three independents, and seven nonpartisans. Two mayors’ partisan affiliations were unknown. Based on 2020 population estimates, 76.1% of the population of the top 100 cities lived in cities with Democratic mayors, and 16.2% lived in cities with Republican mayors at the start of 2022.
