Jacksonville mayor urges calm, compassion in wake of recent political violence

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Election Day is approaching, early voting is in full swing, and tensions are high.

It’s been a week of heightened political tension and even threatened political violence in Jacksonville, with Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland even receiving a message from an unknown person calling him a Nazi and including what the person who texted wrongly believed to be the address of Holland’s son.

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Holland told Action News Jax earlier this week his office has even received death threats.

“There’s no reason to intimidate or to be ugly or to be hateful, that just should not be part of the process at all,” Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said Friday morning. “And certainly our supervisor of elections should not have to worry about death threats.”

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Deegan placed her vote at the Beaches library in Neptune Beach Friday morning, at the same voting location where Caleb Williams was arrested after police said he threatened voters earlier this week with a machete.

Deegan is calling for an end to the hateful words and violent threats during early voting and just four days out from Election Day.

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“We have got to see each other’s humanity and love and respect each other regardless of our political beliefs,” Deegan said.

After she voted Friday morning, Duval voter Gina Dykstra talked about the importance of being part of the change you want to see through casting your ballot.

“I think if you want things to change then you have to go out and vote to make them change,” Dykstra said.

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