Upsets In Polk County School Board, Commission Primary Races

LAKELAND, FL — Polk County voters headed to the polls Tuesday to choose Polk County School Board members and commissioners who will face off in the general election Nov. 3. Voters ousted an incumbent school board member and a commissioner in the Aug. 18 primary election.

Incumbent John Hall's fear of losing the county commission race to challenger Neil Combee came true with unofficial results reporting that Combee captured 50,708 votes, 53.56% and Hall got 43,813 votes, 46.35%.

Combee has previous experience serving on the county commission from 1988 to 2004.

During the campaign, Combee attacked Hall as a "big government, tax-and-spend liberal" and a "career bureaucrat," in his campaign mailers, the Lakeland Ledger reported.

An upset Anita Carson who received 41,716 votes compared to incumbent Lori Cunningham's 56,073 votes expressed her disappointment on her Facebook campaign page: "Tonight did not go the way we were hoping, but I promise to continue to work toward bringing positive changes to benefit our students, staff and community."

Here are the unofficial results, according to the Polk County Election Office:

County Commissioner, District 5 - Universal Primary Contest

Neil Combee (R) 53.65%, 50,708 votes

John E. Hall (R) 46.35%, 43,813 votes

State Committeewoman

Kat Gates-Skipper (R) 37.00%, 16,239 votes

Amilee M. Stuckey (R) 40.19%, 17,637 votes

Glynnda White (R) 22.81%, 10,009 votes

Precinct Committeeman

John A. Davenport (R) 31.20%, 122 votes

Steven P. Graves (R) 18.67%, 73 votes

James L. Moyer (R) 17.39%, 68 votes

Raymond Para (R) 32.74%, 128 votes

State Representative, District 56

Eric Bautista (D) 41.08%, 2,131 votes

James Davis (D) 58.92%, 3,057 votes

Supervisor of Elections

Lori Edwards 77.68%, 78,502 votes

Debbie Hannifan 22.32%, 22,553 votes

School Board, District 1

William Allen 52.38%, 51,489 votes

Billy Townsend 47.62%, 47,298 votes (incumbent)

School Board, District 2

Anita Carson 42.66%, 41,716 votes

Lori Cunningham 57.34%, 56,073 votes

Lake Region Lakes Management District, Seat 2

Steve Enzor 40.90%, 3,701 votes

John C. Lewis 32.05%, 2,900 votes

Robert G. Sheffield 27.04%, 2,447 votes

See Related:

• 2020 Primary: Voters To Choose Nominees For 2 U.S. House Seats