//Levy Voters Elect Tax Collector, School Board member, Choose Republican for Superintendent’s Race
Candidates and their supporters line the sidewalk in front of Save-A-Lot to wave to prospective voters Tuesday as they passed by in vehicles.
Supervisor of ElectionsAugust 18, 2020

Levy Voters Elect Tax Collector, School Board member, Choose Republican for Superintendent’s Race

Candidates and their supporters line the sidewalk in front of Save-A-Lot to wave to prospective voters Tuesday as they passed by in vehicles.

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Levy County voters elected a new tax collector and a new school board member Tuesday and selected a Republican candidate to meet his second opponent in the race for superintendent of schools on Nov. 3.

            Michelle Langford defeated Sabrina Sheppard 5,800 to 3,446 to easily win the tax collector’s race while Tammy Boyle edged out Darby Allen 4,967 to 4,276 in the District 2 school board race.

Canvassing board members sort through ballots as they prepare to submit them for insertion into an electronic counter. From the left are County Commission Chairman Matt Brooks, County Commissioner Lilly Rooks and County Judge James T. Browning, who serves as the canvassing board chairman.
Canvassing board members sort through ballots as they prepare to submit them for insertion into an electronic counter. From the left are County Commission Chairman Matt Brooks, County Commissioner Lilly Rooks and County Judge James T. Browning, who serves as the canvassing board chairman.

            Langford, who supervises the property tax division of the Tax Collector’s office and the overall tax division, will replace her boss, Linda Fugate, when she takes office in November.

            The race for the District 2 school board seat made history when a third woman was elected to board. Boyle will serve with Chairwoman Paige Brookins and board member Ashley Clemenzi.

            The Republican primary winner in the superintendent’s race was retiring School Board member Chris Cowart who beat incumbent Superintendent Jeff Edison 3,931 to 2,309.

            “I am humbled. I love Levy County. I love serving the citizens of Levy County and Jeff has been a good public school servant for 33 years,” Cowart said. “I appreciate the race he has run and I look forward to moving on to November and serving the citizens of Levy County and the school board staff.”

            Cowart said he and Edison both have strengths and weaknesses but he said he believes “Levy County staff and citizens are maybe ready for some new blood in leadership positions.”

            Cowart will meet non-partisan candidate Jerry Lawrence in the Nov. 3 general election.

            In the Republican primary for the District 22 State Representative seat, Joe Harding defeated Russ Randall 4,775 to 1,484 in Levy County.

            In the Republican District 5 State Senate primary, Jennifer Bradley slipped past Jason G. Holifield 3,152 to 3,140 in Levy County.

4. Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones uses an electronic device to count the votes in a stack of 50 ballots. In the past, the ballots were inserted one at a time into an older counter. The new counter is on loan from another elections office. Jones wanted to try it out before purchasing a counter like it for her own office. The counter worked well and saved time.
Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones uses an electronic device to count the votes in a stack of 50 ballots. In the past, the ballots were inserted one at a time into an older counter. The new counter is on loan from another elections office. Jones wanted to try it out before purchasing a counter like it for her own office. The counter worked well and saved time.
Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones opens ballots with a new electronic device. This was the first election where the electronic opener was used.
Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones opens ballots with a new electronic device. This was the first election where the electronic opener was used.

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Enterprise Reporting by Terry Primary Election August 18, 2020; Posted August 18, 2020

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