Jackson Youmas, a store manager of a CVS, beat incumbent Dayna Williams in Alachua’s City Commission election Tuesday.
He will serve a three-year term.
More than 1,500 people showed up at the three polling locations to cast their votes, over 200 more than last year’s municipal election, when Walter Welch won the mayorship by just 21 votes.
Of the 1,606 votes cast, 833 went to Youmas, 463 to Williams and 310 to business owner Bill Menadier.
The 2026 election has been shrouded in controversy for months after Precinct 53, which is predominantly non-white, was closed by the current city commission Jan. 26, citing construction plans.
Construction has not yet begun on the community center, and the city of Alachua hasn’t published a confirmed start date for the project.
Williams and the commission were accused of attempting to suppress voters through the decision to close the precinct at the Hathcock Community Center, which some said would help her in the election.
After the closure, voters were directed to head to the polls at Legacy Park Multipurpose Center over 2 miles away from the original polling location — a trip some voters wouldn’t be able or willing to make, critics argued.
After facing backlash, the commission voted Feb. 9 to open the Alachua Library Branch, a closer alternative to Legacy Park.
In an email to The Alligator before the election results were announced, Williams said she hoped to establish more proactive communication and community engagement with residents if she won the election.
“Over the past term, I’ve learned that while making sound decisions is only part of the job, ensuring residents understand the reasoning behind those decisions is just as important,” she wrote.
The newest commissioner
“I’m going to do everything I can to fight for this community,” Youmas said.
Youmas launched his campaign for the city commission in November after being urged to do so by Mayor Walter Welch and City Commissioner Jacob Fletcher, both of whom the Alachua County Democratic Party endorsed.
The first time Fletcher and Welch asked him to run, he decided not to do so. After hearing the concerns of the people coming through his CVS store and giving the matter some prayer, he decided to launch his campaign.
“I want to see more respect for the will of the people,” he said. “They don’t feel heard, they don’t feel like their best interests are met, and so I’m hoping that we, as a city commission, we can start listening to the people more.”
He said he wants the commission to start being “genuine in our voting.”
His campaign focused on smart growth, transparency and opportunities for Alachua’s youth.
“We know that growth is going to happen,” he said. “We need to make sure that we’re protecting our environment, natural resources, and that, as we grow, we’re leading the growth and not big developers.”
Youmas said the commission needs to be more approachable and available to answer citizen questions, including concerns about issues affecting residents’ children, like the Alachua County School Board’s decision to close at least one school in the city.
“There’s a lot of concerns from the people, especially people in underserved communities and disadvantaged households that don’t have that transportation,” he said.
During his campaign, he promised to invest in afterschool programs, which could mitigate some of the issues that might pop up when kids have to attend schools farther from their homes.
Above all else, Youmas said he wants to see a solid plan and vision for the city, which he hopes he can create as part of the commission going forward.
Community perspectives
As the clock struck 5 p.m., signaling the end of the work day for most employees, the Alachua Library Branch’s traffic increased as citizens flooded in to cast their votes. While one corner of the library entrance was occupied by three Dayna Williams ambassadors, across the street stood two Bill Menadier supporters.
One lifelong Alachua resident, Queoneric Boykin Jr., said he showed up to the new polling location because he did not want his vote to be wasted. While originally unsure who he would vote for, he said, Williams’ ties to the community won him over.
“I care about her coming to hear the citizens, what they have to say, and coming to bat for them,” he said. “That’s what she’s here for.”
As a Precinct 53 voter, Boykin was among the citizens who previously voted at the Hathcock Center. After seeing the controversy online about the polling location change, he said, he and his bosses at the Phillip & Sons mortuary in Alachua organized a limousine-ride service to transport residents who had relied on the Hathcock Center’s walking-distance location.
Boykin added that while he isn’t very educated on the location controversy, he said the government officials in charge of the change were likely aware of the impact it would have on African American voter turnout. But, residents should learn to respond to change, he said.
“I hope that we responded effectively to help out the citizens,” he said. “Kind of put down some of the frustration, you know, just trying to do our part.”
Julie Smith, an Alachua resident part of the pro-Williams group outside the library, said she participated in Williams’ campaign by managing the candidate’s Facebook page. From a business perspective, her strategy was to take Williams’ story and post it, mimicking a resume or memoir, she said.
Smith herself voted for Williams, and she credited the candidate’s diversity in community initiatives as a primary reason.
“She just didn’t keep to what is comfortable,” she said. “She stepped outside of her own box.”
The voter said she did not agree with the voter suppression claims made against Williams, emphasizing the decision was based on the safety hazards apparent at the Hathcock Center. People complained about the center’s dangerous conditions, Smith said, and then complained about the change, too. But you can’t have it both ways, she said.
Looking forward, Smith said she is excited to see what Williams brings to the table, and she named Williams’ background in government as a point of confidence.
“That’s what we need,” she said.
Contact Maria Arruda at marruda@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @mariazalfarruda.
Contact Alexa Ryan at aryan@alligator.org. Follow her on X @AlexaRyan_.
Maria Arruda is a second-year journalism and political science student, currently working as the City Commission reporter for The Alligator. Previously, she reported on Student Government under The Alligator's University desk. She enjoys running, reading and going to movie theaters!
Alexa is a second-year journalism and international studies student and The Alligator's Spring 2026 Enterprise Politics Reporter. She previously served as the Fall 2025 Criminal Justice Reporter. In her free time, she enjoys running, traveling and going on random side quests.
