Historic Sweep: Flagler’s 5 Constitutionals Elected Without Opposition as Shelly Edmonson Wins Tax Collector’s Seat

A few moments after noon today, Crystal Wray walked into the conference room, where several members of the Flagler County Tax Collectors’ office and others had gathered, and spoke the words with a non-interior voice: “It’s official!”

Cheers erupted.

Everyone, of course, knew what she was talking about. Shelly Edmonson had just been elected Flagler County’s Tax Collector without opposition. She was following in the steps of her friend, mentor and boss, Suzanne Johnston, who had decided not to run again. Johnston was in the room, cheering alongside Edmonson, who was not the only one weeping, with a big smile on.

There, too, were Edmonson’s father, Flynn Edmonson, her mother, Rae Nescio Smith, and her stepfather, John Smith. It was fitting that both Edmonsons were there, because they were like layers to a historic occasion: all five Flagler County constitutional officers–Clerk of Court Tom Bexley, Edmonson, Property Appraiser Jay Gardner, Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart and Sheriff Rick Staly–were elected without opposition today, the first time an entire slate of constitutionals managed the feat in memory (but probably no the first in the county’s century-long history).

And the last time a sheriff in Flagler County was re-elected without opposition was in 1968, when Edmonson’s grandfather and Flynn’s father, Zip Edmonson, was elected.

Shelly had not been aware of the coincidence until Staly told her, which is probably not as surprising as Gardner having not been aware of his re-election until a reporter told him of it, two hours before it became official. “It’s never crossed my mind today,” he said when asked about it. He allowed that he was excited about it, and repeated that yes, this would be his last four-year term.

“I like to believe we do a good job around here and that’s the reason no one runs against us,” he said of himself and his colleagues. Gardner has never drawn an opponent in 20 years. Lenhart won her first election in a sharply contested election eight years ago, but was unchallenged four years ago.

Bexley went through the same pattern. Staly was part of the most bitterly contested election eight years ago, both in the primary and the general, and again faced opposition just from Larry Jones in the general election four years ago. Jones, who retired from the Sheriff’s Office, had filed to run again this year but fell short of qualifying when he did not gather the necessary petitions. He would have had to pay somewhere around $10,000 to qualify without petition. That proved too much, when he faced certain defeat against the most powerful and popular local elected official in the county.

“I have some some ideas,” Staly said a little afternoon as he had gathered alongside other constitutionals outside the Government Services Building. “I’m not ready to say what we’re going to do, but we’re going to make sure that we are prepared for the growth. It’s coming.”

In a release his campaign issued around the same time, he was quoted as saying: “I am extremely honored to run unopposed. Thank you for your vote of confidence and support. I also want to thank our amazing team that professionally serves our community every day. Without them we would not enjoy the safest community and lowest crime rate in our area.” He referred to the modernization of the agency on his watch, and said “I look forwarded to getting up every morning and pinning the Sheriff’s star on my uniform and continuing to serve you.”

Bexley could not make the gathering outside the GSB–he was attending a meeting–but took note of being part of a group that doesn;t face electoral opposition. “Obviously we’re doing the work that’s required but I think all five of us go above and beyond to make sure we reach not only a level of contentment with our constituents, but we do everything we can to make their lives easier to work with us.”

Lenhart had managed to take a few minutes in what has been one of the more hectic periods at her office, with last-minute candidates scrambling to qualify–some of them cynically so, through the write-in process, in strategic moves designed expressly to close the coming Republican primaries for County Commission.

“I wasn’t really nervous, but I am thrilled to serve a third term. I’m very excited,” Lenhart said. “Our elections office has come a long way since my appointment and I’m really proud of my staff.” She was originally appointed by Gov. Rick Scott in 2015 to replace Kimberle Weeks, who would later be convicted of felonies over improprieties in office. “Public service is what I really have a passion for, and being a servant leader for my team. I have an awesome staff, incredible staff. So I’m very blessed.”

Johnston was delighted for Edmonson but she kept dry eyes as she re-endorsed her protegee: “She cares about the residents,” Johnston said of Edmonson. “She is very particular in her work. She’s very logical in her thinking and she’s all for the residents of the county. And that’s what makes a difference in being a good tax collector.”

As for Johnston herself, she said she was not likely to miss the place despite her many years there. She was just glad there won’t be an election. “This means I don’t have to stand on the side of the street in 100 degree weather” campaigning for Edmonson, “and I would have been there every single day for her otherwise.”

Edmonson started working at the clerk’s office, handling payroll, when she was still in high school, at age 18, working for Syd Crosby and Gail Wadsworth for many years and moving through different assignments there before spending the last eight at the Tax Collector’s Office. She’s done the same there, getting to know every part of the office, every job.

“We’ve spent the last I’d say four and a half years preparing for this moment,” Edmonson said, So it’s really important to her [Johnston] that the residents are continued to be taken care of and that is going to be our mission moving forward as well.”

The re-elections of the constitutional officers closes the book on those races. But noon today also meant the end of qualifying for many other local races that will be contested, including by 12 candidates for three Palm Coast City Council seats (the mayor’s seat among them). The full slate of candidates will appear in a chart below shortly.

2024 Election Candidates, Flagler County