Jacksonville Elects a New Mayor Today

In what some are suggesting is an early test of Democratic strength for 2012 in Florida, today Jacksonville voters will choose a new mayor. Republican Mike Hogan, the current Tax Collector, is facing off against Democrat Alvin Brown, a former Clinton administration official.

Hogan raised more than $1 million for his campaign, more than twice what the Democrat raised. However, Brown has tapped into several high profile Republicans who were unhappy with how the March primary election turned out and they have kicked in independent expenditures in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Florida Democratic Party also reports in-kind contributions of over $500,000 worth of staff and support.

A recent public poll showed Hogan in the lead, but not by as much as you might expect in this Republican-dominated city. The First Coast News survey showed Hogan as the top pick of 49% of voters, with Brown at 43% and 8% still undecided. If the polling is accurate, the outcome of the race may hinge on turn-out, particularly in the city’s heavily-Democratic, heavily African-American core.