Donna Deegan qualifies for Jacksonville Mayor race by petition

Jacksonville Democrat Donna Deegan is running in a field that could include as many as 10 candidates, but she’s the only one qualifying for the ballot by petition.

That’s the takeaway from a Monday message from her campaign, promulgated shortly after she filed paperwork at the Duval County Supervisor of Elections office.

“Since we launched this campaign more than a year ago, I have spent every single week in the neighborhoods, listening to you, and creating a shared vision of a city that works for all of us,” Deegan shared. “Together we will make that vision a reality for Jacksonville with our campaign that is of, by and for the people.”

Qualifying by petition took over 7,000 signatures, and her campaign noted other candidates qualifying without petitions would have to pay a $13,800 filing fee.

“Thousands of you helped,” Deegan said Monday.

Deegan is the leading Democratic fundraiser in the field, with former state Sen. Audrey Gibson and first-time candidate Theresa Ann Richardson far behind. She has nearly $270,000 on hand in her campaign account, and nearly $320,000 in her Donna for Duval political committee.

Two Republican opponents will have significant cash advantages, meanwhile.

Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce CEO Daniel Davis leads the entire field. As of the end of November, Davis still had more than $455,000 in his campaign account and more than $4.04 million in his political committee.

Jacksonville City Council member LeAnna Gutierrez Cumber’s committee still had more than $2.5 million on hand, and she had $329,000 more in her campaign account as of the end of November.

Fundraising reports running through the end of 2022 are due by the close of business Tuesday for all candidates.

Qualifying for the 2023 elections ends Friday at noon. The First Election, which pits all candidates against each other, is March 21. The General Election, which sees the top two finishers square off, is May 16.