Charter One falls short…way short
For a Gainesville city election that did not coincide with a presidential primary, it was a euphoric 26.9% voter turnout. But for all the heat generated by the two warring sides in a battle between public safety advocates and transgender rights, it was a pathetic level of real concern.
The final result was 8,375 FOR the Amendment and 11,717 against according to the Supervisor of Elections Unofficial Final Results, posted at 8:50 PM. If you want the financial breakdown, according to the latest financial reports available, Equality is Gainesville’s Business spent about $130,000 to bring in the final vote total AGAINST the amendment, and CitizensFor Good Public Policy spent about $63,000. That makes for about $11.25 per vote to defeat it, and $7.50 per vote in the failed attempt to pass it.
The lesser known Amendment 2, which prevents future city commissions from selling lands acquired for conservation, recreation, or cultural purposes without a referendum being put before the voters, got 15,226 FOR (41.68) and 3,643 AGAINST (58.32%.
In the city commission races, in the At-large 1 contest it was a first round knock out for the incumbent. Jeanna Mastrodicasa was re-elected with 10,281, or 58.13%. Her closest challenger was newcomer Robert Krames with 4,435 (25.08%), followed by Tom Cunilio with 1,108 (6.27%), Richard Selwach with 1,094 (6.19%), and James Schlachta with 767 (4.34%).
The single District 1 race was also a big win for the incumbent, Sherwin Henry, with 1,940 (68.21), and his opponent, Marcia Wimberly with 904 (31.79).
So, there will be no runoff election next month, but there will be more analysis later.
I despair in the hope I can do justice in words describing how grateful I am to the good citizens in Gainesville, Florida that voted down this horrible amendment despite the cynical attempts to instill fear and loathing based on lies that the right wingers there, along with their handlers (The Thomas More Legal Center) tried to foist upon them.
I am personally acquainted with some of the trans people in that area and I am very happy for them. I hope this victory for equal rights and protections under the law resonates outward to all the other places in our great country that are grappling with this issue and the lies that are being told about it.
Good for you, Gainesville! THANK YOU!
1“Equality is Gainesville’s Business spent about $130,000 to bring in the final vote total AGAINST the amendment, and CitizensFor Good Public Policy spent about $63,000. That makes for about $11.25 per vote to defeat it, and $7.50 per vote in the failed attempt to pass it.”
How much did the Thomas More Legal Center spend?
2I thought Robert Krames did a fantastic job for a first time candidate with no real funding support. In the end his core message and passion for fiscal responsibility and planning for the downturn just didnt appeal to the citizens of Gainesville. I hope they are right!
3