Democrat David Jolly won St. Lucie County in Tuesday’s governor’s race, carrying approximately 51% of the vote to Republican Byron Donalds’ 48% as turnout rose despite flooding that forced last-minute polling place changes. The result marked the first time since 2012 that a Democratic candidate for governor or president won a majority of the county’s vote. Former President Barack Obama carried St. Lucie County with 53.42% that year. Jolly’s county victory came as election officials moved several voting locations because of flooding across Port St. Lucie, Tradition and Fort Pierce.
Voter turnout reached 56.5%, an increase of 5.2 percentage points from the 2022 general election, when 51.3% of registered voters cast ballots. In that election, 122,361 of St. Lucie County’s 238,645 registered voters voted. The county ranked 51st among Florida’s 67 counties, with 16 counties reporting lower turnout. Tuesday’s participation exceeded the county’s previous gubernatorial election turnout rate even as flooding disrupted access to some polling locations and required voters to cast ballots at alternate sites.
St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections Gertrude Walker said the polling place changes were necessary to ensure voters had safe and accessible locations to cast their ballots. Voters assigned to Oak Hammock K-8 School, Centennial High School and the Paula A. Lewis Library were among those affected by the relocations.
Some voters were redirected to the Port St. Lucie Community Center, Indian River State College’s Veterans Center of Excellence and Tradition Town Hall. The changes affected several polling places across the three communities as election officials responded to the flooding.
Heavy rainfall submerged roads, stranded vehicles and prompted evacuations across parts of St. Lucie County. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for the county and six other Florida counties. Flooding also forced local public schools to close Tuesday and Wednesday. Those conditions coincided with Election Day, when the county recorded both a higher turnout rate than in 2022 and a Democratic majority in the governor’s race.