Primary night in Okaloosa and Walton Counties brought low turnout, a few predictable wins, and at least one major upset that will reshape local government.
Turnout: Quiet Electorates, Loud Consequences
- Okaloosa County: About 21.87% of eligible voters pulled the lever in this primary, down from roughly 29% in 2022.
- Walton County: About 25.57% of registered voters cast ballots (15,987 of 62,522) – down significantly from 2022, when 29.38% of voters cast a ballot.
Low-turnout primaries typically favor incumbents—and that held in Okaloosa—but voters in Walton used the same conditions to send a clear message in at least one key race.
Okaloosa County: School Board Incumbents Hold
District 3 – Evanchyk Survives a Strong Challenge
Race: School Board District 3 (nonpartisan)
Result (unofficial):
- Linda Evanchyk (incumbent): 15,099
- Mitch Reed: 14,202
Despite a hard-charging door‑knocking campaign by Reed (7,000–8,000 doors), voters narrowly returned Evanchyk, a two-term incumbent and currently the board’s only classroom educator.
She said the next four years will focus on:
- Continuing major facility upgrades (20 ribbon cuttings in recent years)
- Adapting to a “new world of education” by working more closely with homeschool and alternative-education families
District 5 – Heinley Wins Comfortably
Race: School Board District 5 (nonpartisan)
Result (unofficial):
- Brett Heinley (incumbent, DeSantis appointee): 17,370
- Cynthia West: 11,819
From early votes and mail ballots on, Heinley maintained a solid lead. Even with weather-delayed returns from Baker and Blackman, the margin stayed wide.
Walton County: Upset in District 2, Nail-Biter in District 3
Commission District 2 – Whitaker Ousts Glidewell
Race: County Commission District 2 (Republican)
Result (unofficial):
- Warren Whitaker: ~7,500+
- Danny Glidewell (two-term incumbent): ~4,900+
In one of the night’s biggest surprises, Whitaker defeated Glidewell, despite being out-raised roughly 4-to-1. Whitaker campaigned on:
- A forensic audit of county finances
- Slowing growth until infrastructure catches up
- Greater fiscal transparency
Commission District 4 – Bagby Leads in Expensive Three-Way Race
Race: County Commission District 4 (Republican)
Candidates: Jim Bagby, James Calkins, Donna Johns (incumbent)
Unofficially, Bagby held a narrow but consistent lead over Calkins, with Johns in third. The race featured nearly half a million dollars in combined fundraising—by far one of the most expensive local contests on the Emerald Coast this year.
School Board District 3 – Rematch Down to the Wire
Race: School Board District 3 (nonpartisan, Walton)
Result (unofficial):
- Gordon Porter: 7,273
- Bill Eddins Jr. (incumbent): 7,139
Four years ago, Eddins edged Porter by about 150 votes. This time, Porter holds a razor-thin lead of roughly the same size. The margin appears tight enough that an automatic recount may come into play once results are certified.
Tax Collector: McBroom Wins on Experience
Race: Walton County Tax Collector (Republican)
Result (unofficial):
- Brian McBroom: 8,744 (56.70%)
- Jessica Laird: 6,677 (43.30%)
With nearly two decades inside the office as a top deputy, McBroom translated experience into a clear win.
