Midterms advance county officials, Florida property tax cut

The midterm elections are sending more than two dozen current or former county officials to higher office, but they also advanced a threat to Florida county funding. 

The winning Democratic ticket in Wisconsin will be the eighth in U.S. history to include two county veterans. Gov.-elect David Crowley has served as Milwaukee County executive since 2020, and his running mate, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, was the inaugural director of strategy and performance for Arapahoe County, Colo., from 2012 to 2016. 

Most recently, Utah had a two-county-veteran administration from 2013 to 2021, when Gov. Gary Herbert (R), a 14-year Utah County commissioner, served with Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, who spent four years as a Sanpete County commissioner. 

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will bring her full-time workplace back to the Twin Cities as governor, 20 years after she finished an eight-year stint as Hennepin County attorney. 

In addition to Godlewski, three other county veterans will become lieutenant governors: Jefferson County, Colo., Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper will serve with Gov.-elect Phil Weiser (D); Crawford County, Iowa, Supervisor Dave Milbauer will serve with Gov.-elect Rob Sand; and former Hamilton County, Ohio, Commissioner David Pepper will serve with Gov.-elect Amy Acton. 

One former county official and two former county staffers won U.S. Senate seats. Chris Pappas (D) served four years as Hillsborough County, N.H., treasurer. Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed was director of the Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services from mid-2023 to mid-2025. Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (D) served as executive director of the Cook County Justice Advisory Council from 2011 to 2014. 

In addition, former DeKalb County, Ga., Commissioner and NACo President Larry Johnson (D) won the 10th District seat in the Georgia Senate. 

U.S. House

Ballot counting continues in several House of Representatives races, but so far nine-first time members of Congress will come from county ranks, and two former members will return to the Capitol.

• Cook County, Ill. Commissioner Donna Miller (D) won the state’s 2nd District seat.
• Bucks County, Pa. Commissioner Bob Harvie (D) won the state’s 1st District.
• Miami-Dade County, Fla. Commissioner Oliver Gilbert (D) won the state’s 24th District.
• Henrico County, Va. Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor (D) won the state’s 1st District.
• Former Salt Lake County, Utah, Mayor Ben McAdams (D), who served one term in Congress, will return in the state’s 1st District. 
• Los Angeles County, Calif. Supervisor Hilda Solis (D), a former representative and secretary of labor, won the 11th District.
• In Texas, Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnny Garcia (D) won the 35th District and former Fort Bend County Constable Trever Nehls (R) won the 22nd District.
• Former Sonoma County, Calif. Supervisor Mike McGiure (D) won the 1st District.
• Former Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Christina Himes (D) won Michigan’s 10th District.

Vote counting continues in several states, including in:

• Washington’s 4th District, where two-thirds of the way through counting, Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney (R) was leading John Duresky (D) with nearly 55% of the vote and in the state’s 5th District, where former Spokane County Prosecutor Carmela Conroy (D) was trailing incumbent Michael Baumgartner (R) with 49.2% of the vote with just 62% reporting.
• In Arizona’s 5th District, former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb (R) leads Elizabeth Lee (D) with 86% of the votes counted.
• San Francisco County, Calif. Supervisor Connie Chan (D) was trailing Scott Wiener (D) with 44.54% of the vote with 57% reporting.

Ballot measures

In Florida, 62% of voters approved Amendment 3, which increases the homestead tax exemption for non-school property taxes, lowers the cap on assessed value increases and requires counties and municipalities to spend property tax revenue on public safety, education, infrastructure, natural resource projects and flood control, local bonds, employee retirement benefits and government operations. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said he will call a special legislative session to implement the amendment before his term ends in January. 

The Florida Association of Counties warned that the amendment would devastate county revenues without reducing the demand for services. Gulf County, for example, would lose $3.5 million a year from its general fund. Miami-Dade County anticipates a $385 million drop in the first year of implementation, and Leon County projects a $71 million drop. 

“Florida voters have decided, and Amendment 3 has passed. Counties respect that decision and will focus on implementing it responsibly,” FAC said in a prepared statement. “Our priority remains strong local communities and the critical services residents rely on every day, from public safety to emergency response to infrastructure. Florida’s counties will work with the Governor, the Legislature, and the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission to make the transition carefully and to protect the quality of life Floridians expect.” 
 

Wyoming voters rejected a similar proposal. Voters in Louisiana, Tennessee and North Carolina also considered measures that would affect property taxes:

• Louisiana voters approved an amendment allowing spouses of deceased veterans to transfer property tax extensions to a new house.
• Tennessee voters passed an amendment prohibiting the Legislature from establishing a state property tax.
• North Carolina voters narrowly approved an amendment that requires the Legislature to pass laws limiting the amount that local governments may increase property taxes.

Although voters in many municipalities across the country decided ballot measures on data centers, only one such measure applied countywide: in Morgan County, Ill., where it passed with 88.3% of the vote. 

Several states, including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas and Kansas, voted on ballot measures affecting election administration, including voter ID requirements and language limiting voting to U.S. citizens. 

In Arizona, voters passed Proposition 319, which will prohibit state and local authorities, including counties, from using photo enforcement systems to enforce certain traffic laws. 
 

Lame duck

The 120th Congress begins Jan. 3, 2027, leaving legislators two months to pursue their priorities before leadership changes. Congress faces a Dec. 11 deadline, when the current fiscal year 2027 continuing resolution (CR; P.L. 119-113) expires.

The CR extended government funding, as well as authorizations for surface transportation and other federal programs. It also delayed implementation of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed Uniform Guidance rule. 

Before the CR and the 119th Congress end, in the period known as the “lame duck,” NACo will continue to engage with Congress on several priorities, including: 

• Government funding: NACo urges Congress to pass either a full FY 2027 appropriations bill or another CR to prevent a government shutdown and keep key programs funded in the new year. 
• OMB rule delay: The proposed OMB Uniform Guidance rule would significantly affect counties’ ability to deliver key services using federal funding. Counties, along with other intergovernmental partners, are urging Congress to further delay the rule’s implementation. 
• Surface transportation: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) expired Sept. 30, 2026. While Congress extended its authorities, many programs funded through the law’s “Division J” have lost funding. NACo is pushing Congress to either pass a multiyear surface transportation reauthorization bill or extend IIJA’s authorities and the programs funded through advance appropriations. 
• Permitting: The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA) would overhaul the nation’s permitting laws to speed up infrastructure project timelines while preserving opportunities for local input. NACo is calling on Congress to pass BAAJA before the end of the year. 
• Secure Rural Schools: The Secure Rural Schools program provides critical funding to counties with significant National Forest System land. The program expired Sept. 30, 2026, creating fiscal uncertainty for forest counties. NACo is asking Congress to pass the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2026 (S. 5608), which would reauthorize the program through FY 2029.