News
Year in review: Election year brings first-ever tie vote in county primary
By Michael D. Bates | Hernando Today
Published: December 30, 2012
BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County made history on primary election night Aug. 14 when two candidates, Republicans Jason Sager and John Druzbick, tied in their battle for the District 3 county commission seat.Published: December 30, 2012
Incumbent Druzbick and challenger Sager were deadlocked with 6,097 votes each.
A recount found Sager won by eight votes.
Druzbick later said he lost re-election to a second term because of low voter turnout (only 16 percent) and his support for a tax increase.
Druzbick said his support of a mill increase of .4572 did him in politically. He was hammered incessantly by Sager for that move.
In the November general election, Sager lost to Democratic challenger Diane Rowden.
Just before the election, news broke of an extramarital affair between Sager and his former media liaison.
Sager admitted that likely cost him some votes.
This year's elections were hot news and dominated many of the headlines for 2012.
Other election news this year:
Coming on board are Property Appraiser John Emerson, Tax Collector Sally Daniel, Elections Supervisor Shirley Anderson and Clerk of the Circuit Court Don Barbee.
Leaving office at the end of the year are Property Appraiser Alvin Mazourek, Tax Collector Juanita Sikes, Circuit Court Clerk Karen Nicolai and Elections Supervisor Annie Williams.
A bloated ballot, brought about by a raft of constitutional amendments, was blamed for late results on election night Nov. 6.
One new wrinkle this year occurred on July 12 when the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce sponsored the first ever Politics in the Park.
Despite steady rain, about 300 people came to the Hernando County Fairgrounds for an "old-fashioned" political rally.
People got to hear the candidates speak and mill about the crowded fairgrounds building to shake hands with all the politicos. For the last several years, the chamber held candidate forums in the county commission chambers at the government center in downtown Brooksville.
This year, the chamber wanted to try something different and came up with the idea of a free "Politics in the Park" event, where candidates could set up booths and meet and greet people in a more intimate setting.
mbates@hernandotoday.com (352) 544-5290