PANAMA CITY —
Local voters
took to the polls on April 22 for the 2025 municipal elections in Bay County.
As of about 7:30 p.m., the unofficial results for the elections were listed on the Bay County Supervisor of Elections Office website. Here’s what we know:
Panama City
- Mayor − Allan Branch defeated incumbent Michael Rohan. Branch secured 4,150 votes, or about 69%, while Rohan secured 1,851 votes, or almost 31%.
- Ward 1 commissioner − Since no candidate received at least 51% of votes, a runoff race is required to decide this election. Robbie Hughes secured 1,130 votes, or almost 46%, while Daniel Schultz secured 689 votes, or about 28%, and Ed Young secured 638 votes, or almost 26%.
- Ward 4 commissioner − Incumbent Josh Street defeated Demetrius Rease. Street secured 842 votes, or almost 70%, while Rease secured 366 votes, or about 30%.
- Beach Drive non-binding referendum − Almost 53%, or 3,151 residents, voted in favor of the referendum, while about 47%, or 2,820 residents, voted against the referendum.
Lynn Haven
- Seat 3 commissioner − Incumbent Jamie Warrick defeated Johnnie Beshearse. Warrick secured 1,786 votes, or about 62%, while Beshearse secured 1,088 votes, or almost 38%.
- Seat 4 commissioner − Since no candidate received at least 51% of votes, a runoff race is required to decide this election. Judy Tinder secured 1,413 votes, or about 49%, while Jeff Snyder secured 796 votes, or almost 28%, and Jamie Marler secured 659 votes, or almost 23%.
- Non-binding referendum regarding re-establishment of city library − Almost 20%, or 570 residents, voted in favor of the referendum, while about 80%, or 2,304 residents voted against the referendum.
- Non-binding referendum regarding a regional library partnership − Almost 66%, or 1,893 residents, voted in favor of the referendum, while about 34%, or 985 residents, voted against the referendum.
- Non-binding referendum regarding creation of city zoning map − About 45%, or 1,289 residents, voted in favor of the referendum, while almost 55%, or 1,556 residents, voted against the referendum.
Mexico Beach
- Group 2 City Council member − Erik Fosshage defeated Gary Cox. Fosshage secured 178 votes, or almost 60%, while Cox secured 120 votes, or about 40%.
Voter turnout
According to the unofficial voter turnout listed on the Bay County Supervisor of Elections Office website, 9,242 residents cast ballots in the 2025 municipal elections in Bay County. There also were six provisional ballots cast.
About 23% of the 40,037 eligible voters participated in the elections.
Of those, 1,714 residents voted by mail, 3,611 residents voted early, and 3,911 residents voted on Elections Day. Votes were divided between 5,780 registered Republicans, 2,267 Democrats 1,009 non-affiliated voters and 186 voters categorized as “other.”
For more information on the election, visit
www.bayvotes.org
.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald:
Who won? Which races are headed to runoffs? Municipal election results in Bay County
