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Mayoral election in Jacksonville, Florida (2023)

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← 2019
2023 Jacksonville elections
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Election dates
Filing deadline: January 13, 2023
General election: March 21, 2023
Runoff election: May 16, 2023
Election stats
Offices up: Mayor
Total seats up: 1 (click here for other city elections)
Election type: Partisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2023

Donna Deegan (D) defeated Daniel Davis (R) 52% to 48% in the May 16, 2023, runoff election for mayor of Jacksonville, Florida. They advanced from a field of eight candidates in the March 21, 2023, general election. Click here to read more about the general election.

Incumbent Mayor Lenny Curry (R) was term-limited. At the time of the election, Jacksonville was the most populous American city with a Republican mayor.

Deegan received 39% of the vote in the general election. Deegan founded two philanthropic organizations focused on breast cancer issues, and was a local television news anchor and investigative journalist.[1][2] 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 received 25% of the vote in the general election. He 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.[3] 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."[4]

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.[5] Davis' endorsements included Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters (R), the Jacksonville Brotherhood of Firefighters, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R).[6][7]

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 May 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.[8] 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.

Donna Deegan (D) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.

Deegan also completed a Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read those responses.

Elections

Click on the tabs below to show more information about those topics.

Candidates and results

General runoff election

General runoff election for Mayor of Jacksonville

Donna Deegan defeated Daniel Davis in the general runoff election for Mayor of Jacksonville on May 16, 2023.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Donna Deegan
Donna Deegan (D) Candidate Connection
 
52.1
 
113,226
Image of Daniel Davis
Daniel Davis (R)
 
47.9
 
104,172

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 217,398
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

General election

General election for Mayor of Jacksonville

The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Jacksonville on March 21, 2023.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Donna Deegan
Donna Deegan (D) Candidate Connection
 
39.4
 
66,192
✔
Image of Daniel Davis
Daniel Davis (R)
 
24.7
 
41,505
Image of Al Ferraro
Al Ferraro (R)
 
16.2
 
27,265
Image of Audrey Gibson
Audrey Gibson (D)
 
8.6
 
14,440
Image of LeAnna Cumber
LeAnna Cumber (R)
 
7.6
 
12,721
Image of Frank Keasler
Frank Keasler (R) Candidate Connection
 
2.4
 
4,011
Image of Omega Allen
Omega Allen (Independent)
 
0.9
 
1,584
Image of Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin (Independent) (Write-in) Candidate Connection
 
0.1
 
149

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 167,867
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Additional elections on the ballot

See also: Florida elections, 2023

What's on your ballot?
Click here to find out using My Vote


March 21, 2023
May 16, 2023

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Daniel Davis

Image of Daniel Davis

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Davis received a bachelor’s degree from Maranatha Baptist Bible College. He worked as the executive director of the Northeast Florida Builders Association and as the president and chief executive officer of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Davis said he would lower taxes and bring new jobs to Jacksonville. Regarding his economic priorities, he said, “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.”

Davis said public safety was a focus of his campaign, and that he would increase the number of police officers on the street and invest in public safety programs. He said, “All the options are on the table, in my opinion, to make sure that we have the best and brightest serving our citizens."

On education, Davis said he would prioritize, “Improved public education, expanded after school programs and enhanced [...] parks and outdoor facilities.” He also said, “We can strengthen our public schools AND foster school choice to meet the needs of our students.”

Show sources

Sources: Florida Times-Union, "Daniel Davis pledges to expand police force as he accepts Jacksonville sheriff's endorsement," January 24, 2023; Daniel Davis' campaign website, "Home," accessed January 30, 2023; Florida House of Representatives, "Daniel Davis," accessed January 30, 2023

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Jacksonville in 2023.

Donna Deegan

Image of Donna Deegan

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I have deep roots, five generations strong in Jacksonville. As a trusted voice with 25 years of experience in the TV news anchor chair, I am intimately familiar with the city and its people. Over the course of my career, I have lived a shared life with this community and listened to their stories, struggles, and achievements. I have witnessed firsthand how the system prioritizes the interests of the few over those of working families. While working, I was diagnosed with breast cancer three times. This community showed up for me with prayers and hard truths about their own cancer journeys. Hearing from people all over Jacksonville who were choosing between food and medicine led me to create and lead the DONNA Foundation, which has provided financial assistance and support to over 17,500 families living with breast cancer and has raised millions for research. I founded the 26.2 with DONNA marathon, which has brought 60 million dollars of economic impact to Jacksonville to date. I know how to vision, build, and put the right people on the bus to get things done because I’ve done it. When elected, I know that my unique experience, dedication and track record of showing up will enable me to lead the city of Jacksonville to greatness. I will continue to be a strong advocate for the community and will ensure that everyone's voices are heard in City Hall. I am committed to serving the citizens of Duval County and making a positive impact on their lives."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I decided to run for Mayor of Jacksonville because our city needs change for good - change for the better and change that lasts. I envision a brighter future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in Jacksonville, and I am confident in my abilities to steer the city toward growth and success. 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. My family has a rich history here in Jacksonville, and I am motivated to uphold that legacy of service by making our city one that works for all of us.

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. Surviving 3 bouts of breast cancer and hearing stories of people having to choose between food and medicine inspired me to create and lead the DONNA Foundation, which has helped over 17,500 families living with breast cancer and raised millions for research. I also started the 26.2 with DONNA marathon, bringing $60M of economic impact to the city. If elected I'll bring my experience and dedication to advocating for women and families to represent everyone in City Hall. I have always stood up for the community and I'll continue to do so as your next Mayor.

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. Most of all, I would hope to be remembered for my leadership and ability to bring people together to work toward common goals for the people of Jacksonville.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Jacksonville in 2023.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

I decided to run for Mayor of Jacksonville because our city needs change for good - change for the better and change that lasts. I envision a brighter future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in Jacksonville, and I am confident in my abilities to steer the city toward growth and success. 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. My family has a rich history here in Jacksonville, and I am motivated to uphold that legacy of service by making our city one that works for all of us.

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. Surviving 3 bouts of breast cancer and hearing stories of people having to choose between food and medicine inspired me to create and lead the DONNA Foundation, which has helped over 17,500 families living with breast cancer and raised millions for research. I also started the 26.2 with DONNA marathon, bringing $60M of economic impact to the city. If elected I'll bring my experience and dedication to advocating for women and families to represent everyone in City Hall. I have always stood up for the community and I'll continue to do so as your next Mayor.

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. Most of all, I would hope to be remembered for my leadership and ability to bring people together to work toward common goals for the people of Jacksonville.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

As Mayor, my top priorities will be to address infrastructure, public health and safety, and build an inclusive economy.

First, I will work to improve the conditions of neglected neighborhoods by repairing crumbling infrastructure, which I believe is essential for the growth and development of our city. It’s time to make good on broken promises to those neighborhoods since the time of consolidation on everything from septic tank removal to sidewalks. Resiliency will be key in those decisions. I believe we must also tackle the affordable housing crisis.

Second, I will focus on improving public health access and education. I am the only candidate to propose a policy that would move our city out of the basement of health outcomes and have a four point plan to do just that.

Third, I aim to foster an inclusive economy by collaborating with current corporate partners and attracting businesses that align with this goal, to ensure that all residents of Jacksonville benefit from economic growth. We must diversify and activate our city boards to create a diverse citizen voice in our government that looks like Jacksonville. I will have an office dedicated to bringing the same business resources to our neglected neighborhoods as those resources exist in other parts of our city.

I believe, as mayor, my best levers for reducing crime are economic. A collaborative approach that combines causes of poverty, education, food insecurity and of course partnership with our sheriff.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

Honesty, integrity, compassion, empathy, visionary leadership
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

After serving as Mayor, I would hope to be remembered as a unifier. In the newsroom and in the world of cancer philanthropy there is no focus on red or blue, only on solutions that help people. I’d like to be remembered for creating a Jacksonville where we return to our roots in arts and entertainment, a key to making this city one where our kids and grandkids want to stay and raise their families.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

If you’ve ever had one of Jacksonville’s famous camel riders, you probably had it at my Uncle Larry’s landmark restaurant. I worked at one of his Desert Rider sandwich shops as a summer job when I was 16.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

Love is Letting Go of Fear. After cancer, it changed the way I view life.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

I believe that as an elected official and political leader, you can focus on the issues your elected position deals with and support meaningful change across the community. Even if the mayor’s office does not have oversight over a specific issue, I can and still will use the megaphone attached to my mouth to draw attention to how and where change should occur. That is what I plan to do as Mayor. I will never shy away from standing up for what I believe in, and for our values.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

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.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

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. Our ability to have home rule has time and again worked to our benefit, often at the same time the State was making disastrous decisions on its own. Jacksonville is a big city with a long history and a proud tradition of taking care of ourselves. Those who have never lived here should not be making decisions for us without knowing our people or our special circumstances.
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DonnaDeegan2.jpg

Donna Deegan (D)

Pastor John Allen Newman

Elder Lee Harris Pastor R.L. Gundy Lt. Col. (Ret) USAF Alton Yates Former Neptune Beach Mayor Harriet Pruette Former Atlantic Beach Mayor Ellen Glasser Former Jacksonville City Councilmember Garrett Dennis North Florida Letter Carriers, Branch 53 Jacksonville NOW PAC EMILY’s List Ruth’s List Florida Won’t Back Down

Former Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried



Campaign advertisements

This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.

Democratic Party Donna Deegan

May 2, 2023
April 23, 2023
March 24, 2023

View more ads here:


Republican Party Daniel Davis

Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Davis while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.


Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

Election spending

Campaign finance

Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections. Click here to access those reports.

Mayoral partisanship

See also: Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2023)

Twenty-nine of the 100 largest cities held mayoral elections in 2023. Once mayors elected in 2023 assumed office, Democrats held 63 top-100 mayoral offices, Republicans held 26, Libertarians held one, independents held four, and nonpartisan mayors held four. Two mayors' partisan affiliations were unknown.

The following top 100 cities saw a change in mayoral partisan affiliation in 2023:

Election context

Election history

2019

General election

General election for Mayor of Jacksonville

The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Jacksonville on March 19, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Lenny Curry
Lenny Curry (R)
 
57.6
 
84,604
Image of Anna Brosche
Anna Brosche (R)
 
24.1
 
35,425
Image of Omega Allen
Omega Allen (Independent) Candidate Connection
 
10.5
 
15,465
Image of Jimmy Hill
Jimmy Hill (R) Candidate Connection
 
7.5
 
11,063
Image of Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin (Independent) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
0
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Johnny Sparks (Independent) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
0
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
260

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 146,817
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2015

Mayor of Jacksonville, General Election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngLenny Curry 51.3% 103,626
     Democratic Alvin Brown Incumbent 48.7% 98,353
Total Votes 201,979
Source: Duval County Supervisor of Elections, "Official general election results," accessed May 29, 2015

2011

Mayor of Jacksonville, General Election, 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngAlvin Brown 50.4% 97,307
     Republican Mike Hogan 49.6% 95,645
Total Votes 192,952
Source: Duval County Board of Elections - 2011 General Election Results

About the city

See also: Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville is a city in Duval County, Florida. As of 2020, its population was 949,611.

City government

See also: Mayor-council government

The city of Jacksonville utilizes a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body while the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.[10]

Demographics

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.

Demographic Data for Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville Florida
Population 949,611 21,538,187
Land area (sq mi) 747 53,653
Race and ethnicity**
White 56.3% 71.6%
Black/African American 30.9% 15.9%
Asian 4.8% 2.8%
Native American 0.2% 0.3%
Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.1%
Other (single race) N/A 3.3%
Multiple 5.2% 6%
Hispanic/Latino 10.4% 25.8%
Education
High school graduation rate 89.8% 88.5%
College graduation rate 29.3% 30.5%
Income
Median household income $55,531 $57,703
Persons below poverty level 15% 13.3%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


What was at stake?

Report a story for this election

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Candidate survey

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See also

Jacksonville, Florida Florida Municipal government Other local coverage
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Donna Deegan's campaign website, "Meet Donna," accessed March 29, 2023
  2. ↑ LinkedIn, "Donna Deegan," accessed March 29, 2023
  3. ↑ Daniel Davis' campaign website, "Home," accessed March 29, 2023
  4. ↑ YouTube, "Daniel Davis addresses supporters election night," March 21, 2023
  5. ↑ Donna Deegan's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 4, 2023
  6. ↑ Florida Politics, "Ron DeSantis endorses Daniel Davis for Jacksonville Mayor," March 31, 2023
  7. ↑ Daniel Davis' campaign website, "Home," accessed April 4, 2023
  8. ↑ In most of the nation's largest cities, mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan, though many officeholders and candidates are affiliated with political parties. Ballotpedia uses one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
  9. ↑ Wall Street Journal, "America’s Cities Need Republicans, and I’m Becoming One," September 22, 2023
  10. ↑ City of Jacksonville, "Government," accessed October 29, 2014
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