South Lake County voters made their voices heard Tuesday, November 3, as residents headed to the polls to decide the future of local government, congressional representation, and several important statewide issues.

The 2026 General Election featured contested races in Clermont, Groveland, and Minneola, along with two Lake County Commission seats, Florida's 11th Congressional District, and Florida House District 25.

Voters also weighed in on three proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution, including two measures involving property taxes and one concerning the state's budget stabilization fund.

According to the Lake County Supervisor of Elections, 178,949 ballots were cast across the county, representing approximately 63.06% voter turnout. All 92 precincts reported their initial results.

Here's a breakdown of the results and what they mean for South Lake County.

Clermont voters decided two City Council races, including the city's mayoral seat. In the race for City Council Seat 3 (Mayor), Tim Murry secured the victory with 10,770 votes (56.44%), defeating Joe Fumasi, who received 8,313 votes (43.56%). Murry will continue serving in a leadership role as Clermont moves forward with continued residential growth, infrastructure improvements, and downtown development.

In the race for City Council Seat 5, William "Bill" Petersen won with 10,968 votes (59.63%). Challenger Michael Gonzalez received 7,425 votes (40.37%). Both races produced decisive results, with each winning candidate receiving more than 56% of the vote.

Groveland voters also decided three important municipal races, including the city's mayoral contest.

In the race for Mayor, District 1, Keith "Chef" Keogh secured a strong victory with 5,986 votes (69.73%), defeating Judith Fike, who received 2,598 votes (30.27%).

The City Council District 3 race saw Khrystyna McCoy-Tremaine emerge victorious with 1,217 votes (66.21%). Incumbent Barbara Gaines received 621 votes (33.79%).

In City Council District 5, Amy Jo Carroll won with 800 votes (62.31%), defeating Michelle McIntyre, who received 484 votes (37.69%).

All three Groveland races produced clear winners, with each leading candidate receiving more than 62% of the vote.

Minneola voters had three City Council seats on the ballot, with several candidates competing for positions on the city's governing body.

In City Council Seat 1, Pam Serviss won with 3,913 votes (58.06%), defeating Monica Luna, who received 2,827 votes (41.94%).

The race for City Council Seat 3 featured three candidates. Erick Hernandez led the field with 3,438 votes (48.63%). Denise Calderon followed with 2,005 votes (28.36%), while Juan P. Camacho received 1,627 votes (23.01%).

The closest contest came in City Council Seat 5, where Jennifer Morse led with 2,521 votes (36.72%). Chase Hansen followed with 2,198 votes (32.01%), while Nathanael "Nate" Edmund received 2,147 votes (31.27%).

With less than 1 percentage point separating the second- and third-place candidates, Seat 5 was one of Minneola's most competitive contests.

One of the most closely watched regional races was the contest for Florida's 11th Congressional District, which includes portions of Lake, Orange, and Sumter counties.

Republican Joe Strada defeated Democrat James Pericola to win the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Strada secured approximately 53% of the districtwide vote, with Pericola receiving approximately 46% of the vote.

In the race for Florida House of Representatives District 25, Republican Taylor Yarkosky defeated Democrat Farmer Banks Helfrich. Yarkosky received 44,414 votes (51.60%), while Helfrich received 41,652 votes (48.40%). The relatively narrow margin made this one of the more competitive legislative races involving Lake County voters.

District 25 represents part of Lake County, and its representative will play an important role in shaping state legislation that affects local governments, education, transportation, property taxes, and Florida's continued growth.

Two Lake County Commission seats were also decided during Tuesday's election.

In County Commission District 2, Republican Sean M. Parks ran unopposed and secured 123,439 votes (88.45%). While the ‘Write-in’ candidates collectively received 16,121 votes (11.55%).

In County Commission District 4, incumbent Republican Leslie Campione defeated Democrat Egor Emery. Campione received 101,395 votes (58.32%), while Emery received 71,959 votes (41.39%).

The results mean Parks and Campione will serve as the representatives for their respective commission districts.

Florida voters also considered three proposed amendments to the state constitution. Unlike ordinary ballot questions, Florida constitutional amendments require at least 60% voter approval to pass.

Of the three amendments on the November 2026 ballot, only Amendment 3 received enough support to become part of the Florida Constitution.

Amendment 1 proposed increasing the maximum size of Florida's Budget Stabilization Fund, which serves as a financial reserve for the state during economic downturns and other emergencies. Under the proposal, the fund's constitutional cap would have increased from 10% to 25% of the state's general revenue.

The amendment also proposed requiring additional annual contributions to the fund, subject to a specified formula.

Amendment 2 proposed exempting certain tangible personal property located on agricultural land from property taxation. The measure was intended to provide additional tax relief to agricultural operations by reducing the tax burden on qualifying equipment and other tangible property used in agricultural production.

Although a majority of Florida voters supported the amendment, it narrowly missed the required 60% approval threshold.

Interestingly, Lake County voters supported this proposal, with approximately 63.46% voting YES. However, the statewide result ultimately determined its fate.

Amendment 3 was the only statewide constitutional amendment to receive the necessary 60% approval. The proposal increases Florida's homestead property tax exemption, providing additional property tax relief to qualifying homeowners. The measure increases the additional homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000, with a scheduled increase to $250,000 by 2028.

The amendment is intended to reduce property tax bills for eligible Florida homeowners. However, it has also generated discussion about the potential financial impact on local governments, which rely on property tax revenue to fund services such as public safety, infrastructure, and other community needs.

The November 3 election will help shape the direction of South Lake County and Florida over the coming years.

From city-level decisions involving roads, parks, utilities, and new development to countywide decisions involving land use and infrastructure, the elected officials will have an important role in determining how the region manages its continued growth.

At the state level, the results of the constitutional amendments could have lasting implications for Florida homeowners, agricultural businesses, and local government budgets.

The results discussed in this article reflect unofficial election-night totals. Provisional ballots, vote-by-mail ballot cures, and the final canvassing and certification process may result in updated totals.

Residents can review the complete results through the Lake County Supervisor of Elections and the Florida Division of Elections.