County Commission District 4 candidates Harry (Kin) Weaver Jr., Republican, left, and Larry Sessions, Democrat, right, wait for results to come in. Sessions won the seat Tuesday night. - Photo: Amber Vann 

Unofficial results

The mid-term elections for 2014 are over and the winners are becoming clear. Locally, Democrat Larry Sessions won the Suwannee County Commission District 4 seat over Republican Harry K. (Kin) Weaver Jr., 1,310 votes to 1,285 votes. Sessions will take office Nov. 18.

The county question failed. It asked voters whether or not to allow the county to be authorized to grant property tax exemptions to new businesses and expansions of existing businesses.

Amendment 1 – water and land conservation funds dedication – to the Florida Constitution passed locally. The controversial medical marijuana provision, Amendment 2, failed locally as did Amendment 3, prospective appointment of certain judicial vacancies. The numbers statewide were still being tallied at press time.

For governor, Suwannee County voters chose Rick Scott to stay in office. He received more votes from Suwannee County over Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, 8,426 votes to 3,590 votes. Statewide results were too close to call at press time. 

Republican US District 3 Congressman Ted Yoho received 9,395 Suwannee County votes over Democratic challenger Marihelen Wheeler’s 2,984 votes. Preliminary district results show Yoho will retain his seat. 

State Representative Elizabeth Porter, Republican, received 10,481 votes. Write-in candidates brought in 715 votes locally. Porter will retain her seat, according to district figures. 

Pam Bondi, Republican, received the most votes locally for Attorney General. She received 9,230 votes over Democratic challenger George Sheldon, 3,084 votes. Preliminary statewide results show Bondi will retain her seat.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Republican, received 9,116 votes over Democratic challenger William “Bill” Rankin’s 3,351 votes. Preliminary statewide results show Atwater will retain his office. 

Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, Republican, received 9,440 votes over Democratic challenger Thaddeus Thad Hamilton’s 3,082. Preliminary statewide results show Putnam will retain his office.

For the First District Court of Appeal, Judges Robert T. Benton, Joseph Lewis Jr., Scott Makar, Tim Osterhaus and Clay Roberts, were all retained by local voters. Preliminary statewide results show they will all retain their office. 

Voter turnout was 51 percent locally.