Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Breaking News

Suzie Johnston, Eric Cooley win Flagler Beach City Elections

A group of advocates for Cooley and Johnston's campaign wave signs in Flagler Beach Tuesday, including tax collector Suzanne Johnston (at left in red), Eric Cooley (in blazer, behind Suzanne), County Commissioner David Sullivan (light gray jacket), Evan Peters (with large Cooley sign), Suzie Johnston (red coat, right), and Regan Hansen (far right). ⓒ AskFlagler

Suzie Johnston and Eric Cooley have each won their respective races, per the Flagler County Elections Office. Johnston will become the newest mayor of Flagler Beach, while Eric Cooley won re-election to the City Commission. Johnston will begin her first term as mayor, while Cooley will be starting his second as commissioner.

The race for mayor was a particularly interesting one. After incumbent mayor Linda Provencher announced she would not seek a fourth term, the race became competitive for any who wished to challenge for it. Johnston, a realtor, received an endorsement from Provencher in the buildup to Tuesday’s race and wound up winning by a commanding margin.

ADVERTISEMENT

Flagler Beach residents brought their own sunniness to a cloudy voting day.

Other candidates for mayor included Kim Carney and Patrick Quinn. Carney is a familiar name to Flagler Beach residents, having previously served as City Commissioner since 2011 through this latest election season. Carney ran unsuccessfully for Flagler County Commission against incumbent David Sullivan last year. Sullivan himself was on hand Tuesday, helping campaign for Cooley and Johnston at Flagler Beach City Hall. Carney garnered about a quarter of the vote.

Also running for mayor was Pat Quinn, a certified professional home inspector. Quinn, despite a robust campaign infrastructure and dedicated group of supporters, came up third in Tuesday’s race.

In the City Commission race, incumbent Eric Cooley was challenged by Paul Harrington. Harrington, a Flagler Beach resident since 2010, came up just short in his third attempt to win a Commission seat. After suffering from a dire medical emergency just days ago, Harrington lost by less than 9% despite concerns over his physical wellness. Though Harrington was reported to have made it through surgery the day before the election, it’s still possible that health concerns were the deciding factor in a close election. In any event, Cooley was declared the winner by the Elections Office and will serve a second term as City Commissioner.

City of Flagler Beach Mayor

Kim M. Carney: 25.51% – 391

Suzie Johnston: 50.32% – 787

Patrick Quinn: 24.17% – 378

City of Flagler Beach Commissioner

Eric Cooley: 54.41% – 839

Paul Harrington: 45.59% – 703

Written By

Chris Gollon is a Flagler County resident since 2004, as well as a staple of the local independent music scene and avid observer of Central Florida politics, arts, and recreation.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

You May Also Like

2024 Election

The Republican primary for the Flagler County Commission’s District 3 seat was decided on Tuesday, with Kim Carney besting opponents Nick Klufas and Bill...

Community

A of SR-A1A in Flagler Beach will be closed Thursday in order to accommodate the ongoing work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’...

Crime

The Flagler Beach Police Department made a surprising hire this week, bringing on ex-Daytona Beach Shores police lieutenant Michael Schoenbrod. Late last year Schoenbrod...

Community

The City of Flagler Beach issued a precautionary boil water notice to two areas on Sunday due to a repair being performed on the...

Events

The organizers for the upcoming Flagler Beach Centennial Celebration are seeking volunteers to help plan the event ahead of the city’s 100th anniversary. The...