Donald Trump is elected president of the United States, as voters eager to shake up the nation’s political establishment pick the businessman to lead the country.
An unexpected Republican nominee, Trump rode a wave of support from voters seeking change and willing to accept a candidate loose with facts and accused of sexual misconduct.
Democrat Hillary Clinton reportedly conceded in a phone call with Trump early Wednesday.
Clinton, who would have become the first woman to serve in the Oval Office.
Turnout in Broward, Palm Beach counties hits 70 percent
Turnout in Broward and Palm Beach counties topped 70 percent for the election, with most of the ballots cast during early voting.
Here are the numbers as of 1:40 a.m.
Broward County
Number of registered voters: 1,179,189
Total number of ballots cast: 827,825
Turnout: 70.2 percent
Ballots cast on Election Day: 212,739
Early voting ballots: 426,589
Vote by mail: 188,497
Palm Beach County
Registered voters: 901,627
Ballots cast: 646,398
Turnout: 71 percent
Election Day ballots: 277,260
Early voting: 241,371
Vote by mail: 127,767
Clinton campaign tells supporters she will not speak on election tonight
Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair John Podesta told her supporters who are gathered for a victory party in New York City to go home and go to sleep. With Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona among a handful of states still too close to call, Podesta said the campaign will wait until all the votes are counted before having anything more to say.
Trump tops Clinton in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina; White House race too close to call
Donald Trump captured crucial victories over Hillary Clinton Tuesday night in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Carolina, showing remarkable strength in four of the nation’s most fiercely fought battleground states in an unexpectedly tight race for the presidency.
Clinton carried Virginia, Colorado and California. Her campaign had expected easy victories there, but the states took on new urgency as Trump picked up votes elsewhere. With a handful of other battleground states still undecided, neither candidate had cleared the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House.
The uncertainty sent Dow futures and Asian markets tumbling, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.
As Clinton’s team anxiously waited for results to roll in, the candidate tweeted to supporters, “Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything.”
Broward Sheriff Scott Israel easily wins re-election
Broward Sheriff Scott Israel has won re-election with a decisive win over Santiago Vazquez Jr., a former sheriff’s office sergeant who retired in April to run against his former boss.
Broward voters nix sales tax increase
A proposed increase in the sales tax in Broward County failed Tuesday when voters said they’d support a tax for transportation improvements but not for city infrastructure. The taxes were entwined; if one failed, neither would be enacted.
Dems hold U.S. House seats in Broward and Palm Beach
South Florida incumbents had little trouble coasting to victory in four U.S. House races on Tuesday. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Ted Deutch, Alcee Hastings, and Lois Frankel are all heading back to Congress.
Florida Voters approve medical marijuana amendment, reject solar item
Florida voters approved amendments legalizing medical marijuana and giving property tax breaks to some first-responders and some low-income seniors.
Amendment 1 on solar energy did not get the 60 percent it needed to pass.
Incumbents score wins in Wilton Manors races
Voters returned Mayor Gary Resnick to office in what he says will be his final two-year term as mayor, while re-electing Commissioners Tom Green and Julie Carson.
Taub, Lazarow win big in Hallandale Beach after vowing to fight corruption
Incumbent Hallandale Beach commissioner Michele Lazarow and political rookie Anabelle Taub won their races in what some called Broward County’s nastiest election.
Taub, a real estate agent, won in a landslide against incumbent Bill Julian, a retired horse trainer under state investigation for allegedly accepting favors from a developer.
Lazarow, an animal activist first elected four years ago, won handily despite a challenge from Alex Lewy, a former commissioner who stepped down in 2014, and Ann Henigson, a retired secretary making her fifth run for office.
–Susannah Bryan
Dania Beach picks James as new mayor, Harris and Brandimarte for commission
Dania Beach activist Tamara James scored enough votes in Tuesday’s at-large election to take the spot as mayor of Broward County’s oldest city. Voters also chose business owner Bill Harris and incumbent Chickie Brandimarte to serve on the five-member board.
Rogers wins Lauderdale Lakes mayoral race; two new commissioners elected
State Rep. Hazelle Rogers will be returning to city government after an eight-year stint as a state legislator, convincingly defeating Commissioner Edwina Coleman on Tuesday to be the city’s next mayor.
Rogers will be joined by two first-time commissioners. Veronica Edwards Phillips defeated incumbent Commissioner Eileen Rathery in one race and Sandra Davey beat two challengers for an open commission seat in her third try for elective office.
Larry Vignola takes Coral Springs commission seat
A veteran commissioner defeated a political newcomer Tuesday in a two-way race for Coral Springs commission seat. Larry Vignola, a commissioner since 2010, boasted about growing up in the city, aiming to differentiate himself from his opponent, Karen Jones, who moved to the city five years ago.
Weston welcomes a new commissioner
Margaret Brown emerged from a field of four newcomers to claim commission seat 1. Brown defeated Kevin Moot, Hermes Garcia and Jonathon Lenett. Commissioner Angel Gomez did not seek re-election because of term limits.
Pompano city commission results in
Pompano Beach voters opted for mostly for the status quo Tuesday, sending all but one of its City Commission incumbents back into office.
Mayor Lamar Fisher was returned to office for his fourth term as mayor. The upset of the night was in District 4. Commissioner Ed Phillips, who owns an insurance agency, lost his 2014 rematch with Beverly Perkins, a longtime community activist.
Commissioners Charlotte Burrie, Rex Hardin and Barry Moss were all returned to their seats. Political newcomer Mike Sobel won an open seat in the city’s most eastern district.
Parkland voters choose Hunschofsky
Voters picked a familiar face to be its ceremonial leader. Christine Hunschofsky, who has been a commissioner since 2013, was tapped to be the new mayor. Hunschofsky beat attorney and political newcomer Brian Rosaler.
Cooper City gives incumbent commissioner one last term
James Curran beat a newcomer to politics to win his third term as District 4 commissioner. Curran’s challenger was Amy Rosen, 53.
Lonergan, Guevrekian win in Oakland Park; recount to determine third winner likely
Tim Lonergan and Sara Guevrekian won re-election to the Oakland Park City Commission on Tuesday, but it appears it will take a recount to find out who will be joining them in the third seat up for election.
Lonergan and Guevrekian received the most votes in the nine-way race for the three open commission seats. But the third- through fifth-place finishers — Matthew Sparks, former Mayor Steven Arnst and Scott Herman respectively — were separated by less than a half-percentage point in the unofficial tally, which would trigger an automatic recount.
Samson Borgelin wins North Lauderdale City Commission race
Samson Borgelin defeated David Hilton, a commissioner since 2006. Borgelin also defeated Ana M. Ziade in the three-way race to represent the west central District D seat.
Three incumbents win races in Lauderhill
Commission incumbents Ken Thurston, Margaret Bates and Howard Berger won re-election in Lauderhill on Tuesday, with Bates and Berger facing term limits in 2020.
In Tamarac, it’s Fishman and Bolton
Tamarac voters chose Marlon Bolton in District 1, an area that includes much of the Mainlands communities. Julie Fishman won in District 3.
Battleground states
America’s ugly and unpredictable presidential election barreled toward the finish Tuesday night, with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump fighting fiercely for Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, three of the nation’s most competitive states.
Clinton, a fixture in American politics for decades, was hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief. She faced stiff competition from Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism.
As results rolled in, Trump claimed victory in Texas, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Arkansas and Louisiana, while Clinton won New York, Illinois, Vermont, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.
The race in Florida, a perennial battleground and the biggest prize among swing states, was exceptionally close. The race was also tight in North Carolina and Virginia, though votes were still being counted in major urban areas where Clinton was banking on high turnout.
–Associated Press
Palm Beach County commission gets 2 incumbents, 2 newcomers
Two established politicians will join two incumbents on the Palm Beach County Commission.
Incumbent commissioners Mary Lou Berger, a Democrat, and Hal Valeche, a Republican, survived challenges from political newcomers.
“I am delighted that the residents have the confidence in me to re-elect me, and I look forward to continuing to work with them over the next four years,” said Berger, who serves as county mayor.
Democratic State Rep. Dave Kerner emerged victorious in District 3, defeating independent Sean Hogan. Kerner will fill the seat previously held by Shelley Vana, who left because of term limits and was defeated in the property appraiser’s race.
Former Democratic State Rep. Mack Bernard ran unopposed in the District 7 contest. In the primary, Bernard unseated incumbent Democratic Commissioner Priscilla Taylor in a tight race.
— Skyler Swisher
Geller and Udine win seats on Broward County Commission
Two established politicians will join the Broward County Commission: the mayor of Parkland and a former state senator.
Both winners, Michael Udine and Steve Geller, were Democrats facing Republicans, and had the statistical advantage in Democrat-leaning districts.
Udine, an attorney, faced Republican Randal Cutter, a Coral Springs church pastor. He said he felt “great” about the campaign, and met “tons of voters” while knocking on doors, attending homeowner meetings and campaigning.
–Brittany Wallman
GOP will keep control of Florida Legislature
Florida Republicans are going to remain in charge of the state Legislature.
After a tight election that saw Democrats claim several victories up and down the ballot, Republicans still maintained their majorities in both the state House and state Senate.
The victories ensure State Sen. Joe Negron will be the next Senate president and Rep. Richard Corcoran will be the next House speaker.
Republicans have controlled the Florida Legislature for the last 20 years.
–Associated Press
Boca voters decide city-owned waterfront land must be kept for public use
Boca Raton residents on Tuesday voted in favor of a referendum to keep city-owned waterfront property public — reserved only for public recreation, public boating access, public streets and city stormwater uses.
The adopted referendum will apply to all city-owned land adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway, including the former Wildflower property, a prized piece of downtown waterfront land located at 551 E. Palmetto Park Road.
–Brooke Baitinger
Palm Beach County voters approve sales tax increase
Palm Beach County voters agreed Tuesday to pay more at the cash register to fund a major overhaul of roads and schools.
Voters approved a referendum to raise the sales tax rate from 6 cents per dollar to 7 cents. It will generate $2.7 billion for repairs and improvements to infrastructure postponed during the Great Recession. The tax increase takes effect Jan. 1 and will sunset in 10 years or earlier if the revenue is generated before then.
Palm Beach County Mayor Mary Lou Berger said taxpayers can be assured their money will be spent as promised, and commissioners will appoint a citizens panel to review how the dollars are spent.
“We can start putting the oversight committee together and get the things done that need to be done in the school district and the county,” said Berger, who ran in support of the sales tax increase and won re-election.
Palm Beach County schools will get half of the money generated through the tax increase, the county 30 percent and the cities the remaining 20 percent.
–Skyler Swisher
Sunrise elects first minority to commission
Political newcomer Mark Douglas made history Tuesday night as the first minority to win a seat on the five-member Sunrise commission.
Douglas, a black attorney from Jamaica making his first run for office, handily beat businessman Vivi Assidon and retired Sunrise officer Steve Del Re.
“I think I won because [I] represented some kind of change,” Douglas said. “I think people felt I was a sincere candidate with a track record of service. And they gave me an opportunity and I’m grateful.”
During his campaign, Douglas billed himself as the best candidate to represent the city’s growing minority population.
–Susannah Bryan
Rubio defeats Murphy in re-election bid
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio was re-elected to the Senate, defeating U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter. The Associated Press called the race at 8:10 p.m. CNN also projects Rubio will win the race.
Earlier this year, Rubio lost his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Former GOP Florida Gov. Charlie Crist wins US House seat as Democrat
According to the Associated Press: Former Florida Republican Gov. Charlie Crist wins U.S. House seat as a Democrat, ousting incumbent GOP Rep. David Jolly.
Carlos Curbelo re-elected to House seat
U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, one of the sharpest Republican critics of nominee Donald Trump, has been re-elected.
Curbelo edged out Democrat Joe Garcia in one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts.
Curbelo was able to hold onto the seat even though the boundaries of the district were altered late last year to make it much more Democratic. Curbelo has called for immigration reform and said he believes in climate change.
The 26th Congressional District covers Miami’s western and southern suburbs, the Florida Keys and a large chunk of the Everglades.
Curbelo, a former school board member who defeated Garcia in 2014 to win the seat, never endorsed Trump. He once publicly speculated that Trump was a phantom candidate intended to help the Democrats.
–Associated Press
Clinton beats Trump in battle of home state New York
Democrat Hillary Clinton tops Republican Donald Trump in home state of New York, worth 29 Electoral College votes.
More presidential projections
According to the Associated Press: Democrat Hillary Clinton has won Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and the District of Columbia while Republican Donald Trump has captured Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee and South Carolina.
Palm Beach County election office update
Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher said voting went smoothly in the moments before the polls were set to close Tuesday night. Election officials will begin counting vote by mail and early ballots before Tuesday’s results start rolling in, Bucher said. Officials have already reviewed more than 10,000 vote by mail ballots and haven’t found any errors, she said.
Bucher also commented on social media reports of some voters saying they voted twice. The county has a record of every person’s voting history, and if a person votes more than once, the second vote isn’t counted, she said.
“No, that’s an impossibility,” Bucher said. “Once you have a voting history, your voting experience is over.”
–Ryan VanVelzer
Trump projected to win West Virginia
Donald Trump is projected to win West Virginia and its five electoral votes, according to The Associated Press and CNN. Ohio and North Carolina too close to call.
Early Presidential Projections
Several news outlets including The Associated Press and CNN are projecting Indiana and Kentucky for Donald Trump. Vermont is projected to go for Hillary Clinton.
Welcome to Election Night!
Polls closed at 7 p.m. in South Florida and we’ll be posting live updates here as the results come in throughout the night.
Election Day voting was mostly smooth in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
More than 6.4 million Floridians voted early or by mail.
Here’s a link to a story about the day at the voting polls in South Florida.
