Alachua County is a county in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census,the population was 278,468. The county seat is Gainesville,the home of the University of Florida.
Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County,Florida,United States,and the most populous city in North Central Florida,with a population of 145,212 in 2022. It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area with a population of 350,903 in 2022.
Hawthorne is a city in Alachua County,Florida,United States,incorporated in 1881. Indigenous peoples of the Americas had been living in the area since around 100 CE;Hawthorne grew around their trading trails. Throughout its history,Hawthorne has been known for its agriculture,railroad,and rural lifestyle. Hawthorne's population was 1,478 at the 2020 census,up from 1,417 at the 2010 census,with an area of 7.38 sq mi (19.1 km2). It is part of the Gainesville,Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Rodney Warren Smith is an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida. A Democrat,Smith was a member of the Florida Senate from Gainesville from 2001 until 2006. Smith ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Florida in the 2006 election but lost to Congressman Jim Davis. In 2010,Smith was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Florida as the running mate of Alex Sink in her campaign for Governor of Florida. From November 2010 through January 2013 Smith served as chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. In 2016,Smith again ran for a seat in the Florida Senate but was ultimately defeated by Keith Perry,a Republican and former state representative.
The 2006 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 7,2006. Incumbent Republican Governor Jeb Bush was term-limited,and could not run for reelection to a third consecutive term. The election was won by then-Republican Charlie Crist,the state's Attorney General. The election was notable in that for the first time,the state elected a Republican governor in three consecutive elections.
The 2006 United States Senate election in Florida was held November 7,2006. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson won re-election to a second term.
Florida's 3rd congressional district is an electoral district of the United States House of Representatives located in Florida. It presently comprises a large section of north central Florida,including the entire counties of Alachua,Baker,Bradford,Columbia,Dixie,Gilchrist,Hamilton,Levy,Suwannee,and Union,along with the majority of Lafayette and Marion County. The city of Gainesville is in the district as well as part of Ocala,and portions of the Jacksonville metropolitan area.
Steve Oelrich was an American law enforcement officer and Republican politician who was a member of the Florida Senate from 2006 to 2012. He represented the 14th District,which included Alachua,Bradford,Columbia,Gilchrist,Levy,Marion,Putnam,and Union counties.
Perry Colson McGriff,Jr. was an American politician,retired insurance agent,and former All-American college football and baseball player. McGriff was a member of the Florida House of Representatives,Mayor of Gainesville and Democratic nominee for a seat in the Florida Senate.
Cynthia Moore Chestnut is an American Democratic politician who currently serves the Gainesville,Florida City Commission. She previously served on the same City Commission from 1987 to 1989 and as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1990 to 2000,representing the 23rd District. After unsuccessfully running for the Florida Senate in 2000,Chestnut was elected to the Alachua County Commission in 2002,where she served until she lost re-election in 2010.
Charles S. "Chuck" Chestnut IV is a Democratic politician who currently serves as an Alachua County Commissioner,representing the 5th District from 2012 to the present. Prior to being elected to the Alachua County Commission,Chestnut served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2012,representing the 96th District.
The 2010 special election for Florida's 19th congressional district took place on April 13,2010,to fill the vacancy caused by Representative Robert Wexler's resignation. Wexler resigned on January 3,2010,to become the President of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace. Florida's 19th congressional district was a liberal-leaning district based in South Florida,stretching from Greenacres to Margate in Broward County and Palm Beach County.
The 2010 Florida Attorney General election took place on November 2,2010,to elect the Attorney General of Florida. Incumbent Attorney General Bill McCollum opted to run for run for Governor rather than seek reelection. The election was won by Republican Pam Bondi,a former assistant state attorney for Hillsborough County,who defeated Democrat Dan Gelber by a 54.8% to 41.1% margin. Bondi took office in January 2011.
Orange Creek is a small stream in north-central and northeast Florida,that drains Orange Lake to the Ocklawaha River. Privately owned Orange Springs provides part of the water volume.
Clovis Watson Jr. is the former sheriff of Alachua County,Florida. A Democrat,he was elected in 2020 and served from 2021 to 2023. Previously,he served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 2012 to 2020,representing the 20th District,encompassing eastern Alachua County and northwestern Marion County from Gainesville to Ocala.
Warren "Keith" Perry is a Republican member of the Florida Senate,representing the 9th district,encompassing Alachua,Putnam,and part of Marion County in North Central Florida,since 2016. He also served in the Florida House of Representatives,representing the 22nd district from 2010 to 2012 and the 21st district from 2012 to 2016.
Jacob A. Rush,also known as Jake Rush,is an American attorney known for challenging incumbent Theodore Scott "Ted" Yoho for the United States House of Representatives seat for Florida's 3rd congressional district in 2014.
The Mayor of Gainesville is,for ceremonially purposes,receipt of service of legal processes and the purposes of military law,official head of the city of Gainesville,Florida and otherwise a member of,and chair of,the city commission,required to preside at all meetings thereof. The mayor is also allowed to vote on all matters that come before the city commission,but has no veto powers.
Orange Heights is an unincorporated community in Alachua County,Florida,United States. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 301 and Florida State Road 26.
The East Florida Seminary was an institution of higher learning established by the State of Florida in 1853,and absorbed into the newly established University of Florida in 1905. The school operated in Ocala from 1853 until 1861. After being closed during the Civil War,the school re-opened in Gainesville,Florida in 1866.
