Amendment 3 passed statewide with 61.98%, unofficial state results show. St. Johns County gave it 65% and backed the $100 million land conservation bond with 75%.
St. Johns County voters approved a $100 million bond to buy and protect conservation land on Tuesday. They also gave Amendment 3, the statewide property tax measure, 65% of their votes.
Updated Nov. 7: Amendment 3 passed statewide with 61.98% yes, above the 60% it needed, the Florida Division of Elections’ unofficial results show. Amendment 2 failed statewide with 58.21%, although St. Johns County voters backed it. Amendment 1 failed.
The bond question passed with 75.28%. Amendment 3 drew 65.37% yes in the county, above the 60% that any amendment to the Florida Constitution needs statewide.
The figures are unofficial. They come from the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections’ election night results, last updated at 10:54 p.m. Tuesday. They include early votes, Election Day votes and part of the mail ballots. They do not yet include provisional ballots.
Whether an amendment takes effect depends on the statewide count. The Florida Division of Elections’ unofficial statewide results show:
| Amendment | Statewide yes | Statewide no | Yes share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 3, homestead exemption and assessment cap | 4,917,796 | 3,016,195 | 61.98% | Passes |
| Amendment 2, tax exemption for farm equipment | 4,542,890 | 3,260,799 | 58.21% | Fails |
| Amendment 1, larger budget stabilization fund | 3,170,557 | 4,580,981 | 40.9% | Fails |
Amendment 3 cleared the 60% bar by about two points. Amendment 2 fell short statewide even though 60.85% of St. Johns County voters backed it. The state’s figures are unofficial until the statewide count is certified.
The four countywide ballot questions
| Question | Yes | No | Yes share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land conservation bonds, up to $100 million | 110,300 | 36,215 | 75.28% |
| Amendment 3, homestead exemption and assessment cap | 96,448 | 51,088 | 65.37% |
| Amendment 2, tax exemption for farm equipment | 88,735 | 57,090 | 60.85% |
| Amendment 1, larger budget stabilization fund | 56,987 | 87,964 | 39.31% |
The descriptions come from the elections office’s guide to the 2026 amendments and local referenda.
How Ponte Vedra Beach voted
The elections office also reports results by precinct. Six precincts vote at polling places with a Ponte Vedra Beach 32082 address: 401, 402, 403, 404, 405 and 407. The 32082 ZIP code also covers Palm Valley.
In those six precincts:
- Amendment 3: 11,831 yes and 5,996 no, or 66.4% yes
- Land conservation bonds: 13,638 yes and 4,067 no, or 77.0% yes
Both are slightly above the county figures. Turnout was higher too. The office’s turnout tracker shows 19,221 of the 27,985 eligible voters in the six precincts cast a ballot. That is 68.7%.
Countywide, 157,010 ballots were cast, the tracker shows. That is 64.43% of 243,704 eligible voters. Of those, 75,961 came from early voting, 57,997 on Election Day and 22,931 by mail.
What the land bond allows
The Board of County Commissioners put the bond on the ballot on Aug. 18. Its resolution lets the county:
- borrow up to $100 million in one or more bond issues
- repay each issue within 20 years
- levy a property tax of up to 0.15 mills to pay the debt
The money goes through the county’s Land Acquisition and Management Program, known as LAMP. The resolution says it is to buy, restore and manage land that protects water quality, drinking water, coastal resources, wildlife habitat, farms and forests. It also names reducing flooding and providing outdoor recreation.
A mill is $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value. At the full 0.15 mills, that works out to $15 a year for every $100,000 of a property’s taxable value. The resolution sets 0.15 mills as a ceiling, not the rate the county must charge.
The races on Ponte Vedra Beach ballots
Countywide results for the main races voters in the six Ponte Vedra Beach precincts saw:
| Race | Winner in St. Johns County | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Byron Donalds (R) | 95,269 | 61.09% |
| U.S. Senate | Ashley Moody (R) | 97,564 | 62.59% |
| U.S. House, District 5 | John Rutherford (R) | 83,399 | 62.30% |
| State House, District 18 | Kim Kendall (R) | 69,147 | 65.16% |
| School Board, District 4 | Tammie McClafferty | 17,563 | 60.82% |
David Jolly, the Democratic candidate for governor, took 58,577 votes, or 37.56%, in the county. In the U.S. House race, Rachel Grage, the Democrat, took 37.48%. In State House District 18, Art Stresing, the Democrat, took 34.84%.
The School Board District 4 seat is nonpartisan, and only voters in the nine 400-series precincts cast ballots in it. McClafferty beat Jillian Tozer 17,563 to 11,314.
County voters also voted to keep all four judges on the merit retention ballot. The yes vote ranged from 63.69% to 69.47%.
Most of the other contests on county ballots were outside Ponte Vedra Beach. They included seats on the St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach city commissions and several community development districts. The full list is on the Supervisor of Elections’ results page.
What it means for you
- Homeowners: Amendment 3 passed statewide, so the non-school homestead exemption rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, the ballot summary says. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, once the state certifies the result. Our Amendment 3 story has the county’s estimate of the revenue it would lose and a worked tax bill.
- Every property owner: the land bond allows a voted tax of up to 0.15 mills to repay the bonds once the county issues them. Our property taxes page explains how the bill is built.
- Results are not final. Mail ballots were still being counted and provisional ballots are not included. The county canvassing board certifies the count, and the elections office posts the official results on its election results page.
- Questions: call the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections at 904-823-2238.
Our voting guide has the next election dates.
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