Walton County Midterm Results: School Tax Passes 4-1, Abbott Reelected in Freeport's House District
Freeport voters joined the rest of Walton County on Tuesday in renewing the school district’s half-mill property tax by a four-to-one margin, the marquee local decision on a midterm ballot that drew 55.43% of the county’s registered voters. State Rep. Shane Abbott, whose House District 5 seat includes Freeport, won reelection with 77.5% of the county’s vote as Republicans carried every contest on the Walton ballot.
The school tax referendum was the county’s most lopsided decision of the night. With all 22 precincts reporting, 27,313 voters — 80.55% — backed continuing the tax while 6,595 voted against it, according to unofficial results from the Walton County Supervisor of Elections. The ballot question asked whether to continue the current one-half mill ad valorem millage for fiscal years beginning July 1, 2027 and ending June 30, 2031, with the proceeds designated for operating expenses to recruit and retain quality teachers, preserve extra-curricular programs and provide instructional materials and technology. Mid Bay News reported the levy raises an additional $18 million per year for local schools.
For Freeport, the renewal keeps a dedicated funding stream flowing to the Walton County School District, the system that operates Freeport’s public schools. Freeport’s Precinct 430 was among the 22 precincts countywide casting ballots in the election.
Voters also weighed three constitutional amendments. Amendment 3, the property tax measure that passed statewide with 62% of the vote, drew 76.32% support in Walton County — 26,155 yes votes to 8,115 no votes — even though local public safety leaders had warned against it during the campaign. Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson and South Walton Fire District Chief Ryan Crawford, who is president of the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, raised concerns about how counties and cities would maintain essential services as recurring revenue declines. The amendment increases the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 beginning in 2028, and reduces the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%.
Walton’s preferences on the other two amendments did not translate statewide. Amendment 1, which would have grown the state’s budget stabilization fund, took just 52.95% locally and failed across Florida. Amendment 2, the farm equipment tax exemption, carried 74.77% in Walton but fell short of the 60% required statewide, with 58.2% support at final count.
On the candidate side, Abbott — a Republican from DeFuniak Springs — defeated Alex Finney, his Democratic challenger, 26,869 to 7,798 across Walton County on his way to another term in the Florida House. The rest of the ticket swept by wide margins: Ashley Moody won the U.S. Senate race over Angie Nixon by a county margin of 26,835 to 8,053; Rep. Jimmy Patronis, whose Congressional District 1 covers part of Freeport, won the county’s returns 17,654 to 5,083 over Gay Valimont; Austin Rogers won the Congressional District 2 race, taking Walton returns 8,802 to 3,177 over Amanda Marie Green; and Byron Donalds won the governorship with 75.8% of the Walton vote. State Sen. Jay Trumbull won reelection 26,765 to 8,071, and Attorney General James Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson each carried the county by similar lopsided counts.
No county commission races appeared on Tuesday’s ballot — the District 2 and District 4 seats were settled in the August primary, when Warren Whitaker and Jim Bagby unseated incumbent commissioners Danny Glidewell and Donna Johns. All six judicial retention questions passed locally with support ranging from roughly 69% to 73%. Countywide, 35,445 of 63,946 registered voters cast ballots. Tuesday’s totals remain unofficial until the county canvassing board certifies the results.
Originally reported by Mid Bay News. Official results: Walton County Supervisor of Elections Election Night Reporting. Abbott’s win: WJHG. Amendment results: WINK News. Image: WJHG.
