Submitted by Susan Hardee Steger
August 27, 2014 5:21 p.m.
Nassau County Commissioner Steve Kelley and future Commissioner George Spicer gathered supporters at the Kelley Pest Control warehouse to wait election results and both candidates had reason to celebrate. Having garnered 54% of the vote, Kelley representing District 2, will face write-in candidate Eugene Edward Alley in November’s general election.
George Spicer, District 4, pictured with his wife celebrate his victory.
Spicer, District 4, narrowly defeated incumbent Barry Holloway with 48% of the vote, a 179 vote margin. Spicer faces no further opposition.
The percentage of under votes in the Holloway- Spicer race was over 5% or 634 votes compared to 3% or 242 votes in the Kelley-Boyle race. An under vote indicates the voter did not show a preference in a particular race. Spicer won by 179 votes.
Even after yesterday’s election, many voters were still confused as to why both races for a seat on the Nassau County Board of Commissioners did not appear on all ballots during the August primary. Voters registered as Democrats or Independents, saw ballots allowing them no choice in the District 2 race with Boyle and Kelley, yet they had a choice in the District 4 race with Holloway and Spicer. The reason; one race was an open primary, and the other a closed primary because Alley, a write in candidate will be on the ballot in November running against Kelley.
The vote totals in the closed primary with Boyle and Kelley show a total of 7886 votes cast in the District 2 race. Where as the vote totals for the open primary were much higher at 11,122 because Democrats or Republicans or Independent voters could vote.
Write in candidates do not participate in primary elections. Instead a space for a write-in candidate vote is only available in the general election. According to the Supervisor of Election’s website, “A space shall be made available on the general election ballot to write in the name of a candidate who has qualified as a write-in candidate.” Although Alley is a registered Republican according to Supervisor of Elections Vicki Cannon, his designation as a write in candidate excludes him from the primary elections.
Voter turnout in the election was 20% of all registered voters. To view more details of the primary election results in Nassau County, visit http://nassau.electionsfl.org/
New Blood !