In a landmark election, Mike Norris has been elected as the new mayor of Palm Coast, winning 63% of the vote in Flagler County’s highest turnout since 1996. With over 52,900 votes cast for the mayoral seat alone, residents signaled a desire for change in city leadership. Ty Miller and Ray Stevens also secured wins for two open City Council seats, emphasizing a shift in Palm Coast’s political landscape. This story will be updated as results are finalized.
Record Voter Turnout in Flagler County
The 2024 general election saw an impressive 83.37% voter turnout among Flagler County’s 96,750 registered voters, totaling 80,659 ballots cast. According to the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections, this marks the highest participation since the 2008 Presidential Election and the first time since 1996 that turnout has reached above 83%. A post from the Elections Office credited both the voters and the Flagler County Elections Team for making the election such a success.
Over half of Flagler’s voters opted to vote by mail or during the early voting period, which ended on Nov. 2 with 42,900 early votes and 21,043 mail-in ballots submitted. The remaining ballots, counted promptly by Flagler County’s 21 precincts, were reported within an hour of polls closing. While local results have been finalized, votes for Florida’s state and federal races continue to be tallied. Mike Norris Wins Palm Coast’s Mayoral Seat.
Palm Coast Mayoral and City Council Results: Mike Norris Wins Palm Coast’s Mayoral Seat
In Palm Coast, Norris’ 63.37% victory margin over opponent Cornelia Downing Manfre, who received 36% of the vote, was consistent throughout early voting and mail-in ballot counts, holding steady as Election Day ballots were counted.
Palm Coast voters also decided two City Council races. Ty Miller won the District 1 seat with a commanding 70.5% of 49,216 votes, defeating Jeffery Cortland Seib. The District 3 race was closer, with Ray Stevens securing the seat with 58.02% of the 45,681 votes, while opponent Andrew Werner took 41.98%.
Reflecting on the campaign, Miller acknowledged the hard work his team put in to achieve their victory. “It’s good to see people respond and get results that validate the effort we’ve put in,” he shared in an interview. Miller, Stevens, and Norris will be stepping into roles previously held by Vice Mayor Ed Danko, Council member Nick Klufas, and Mayor David Alfin, respectively.
Miller emphasized that finding a new city manager will be a top priority for the incoming council, as well as addressing infrastructure needs, a pressing issue for many residents. “We need someone fiscally responsible who understands the council’s priorities,” he stated, adding that infrastructure improvements and enhanced city services are essential to supporting Palm Coast’s residents. “We have to rise to the challenge and find different ways to fund it,” he said.
The new Palm Coast City Council members and mayor will be officially sworn in at the next business meeting on Nov. 19.
Flagler County Board of County Commissioners
For the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners, Districts 5 and 3 were decided largely during the August primaries, with write-in candidates on the general ballot receiving minimal support. Pam Richardson won the District 5 seat, while Kim M. Carney claimed District 3. Incumbent Andy Dance, who secured his District 1 seat in August, will join the new commissioners in being sworn in at the next board meeting.
Constitutional Amendments: Marijuana Legalization and Abortion Rights
Flagler County voters expressed support for both legalizing recreational marijuana and protecting abortion rights, although these votes were closely contested.
Amendment 3, which proposed legalizing marijuana for adults over 21, received 53.43% support in Flagler County. Statewide, the amendment garnered 55% support as of the latest count, still short of the 60% threshold needed to pass.
For Amendment 4, which aimed to limit government interference with abortion, 51.61% of Flagler voters supported the measure, while 57% of Florida voters statewide showed approval—again, falling short of the required 60%.
Additionally, Palm Coast residents voted down a proposed amendment to the city’s charter, which would have removed limitations on city borrowing without voter approval. The amendment was rejected by 58% of the roughly 52,000 residents who voted on the measure.
Flagler County’s Republican Support
Flagler County residents showed strong support for Republican candidates in the state and federal races. In the presidential election, 63.6% of Flagler’s voters cast ballots in support of former President Donald Trump. Similarly, Republican incumbents Rick Scott and Michael Waltz won 62.93% and 66.02% of the vote, respectively, to retain their Senate and Congressional seats.
In state races, Tom Leek received 66.83% of Flagler votes for the District 7 Senate seat, while Sam Greco received 63.77% support for the State Representative District 19 seat.
As the newly elected leaders prepare to take office, Palm Coast and Flagler County residents have made clear their priorities, including city leadership changes, infrastructure improvements, and significant state issues. The new mayor and council members will soon begin their terms, taking on both the city’s immediate needs and the priorities voiced by Flagler’s voters in this historic election.
Sources
Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Website
Provides official election results, voter turnout statistics, and information on local ballot measures.
Website: https://www.flaglerelections.com
Palm Coast Observer
Local news source for updates on Palm Coast election outcomes, interviews with newly elected officials, and ongoing coverage of council priorities.
Website: https://www.palmcoastobserver.com
Florida Division of Elections
Offers detailed statewide election results and information on constitutional amendments, including vote thresholds and percentages required for passage.
Website: https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/
FlaglerLive
Provides comprehensive coverage of local elections, including interviews, candidate platforms, and analysis of voter turnout.
Website: https://flaglerlive.com
Official Facebook Page of Flagler County Supervisor of Elections
Posts real-time updates, statistics on early voting, and historical turnout data for Flagler County.
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