JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Duval County’s Supervisor of Elections says Duval School Board Member Darryl Willie is not in violation of state and local residency requirements.
Action News Jax told you Thursday we uncovered documentation showing Willie had changed his address to a home outside of his current district lines back in December, possibly vacating his seat.
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Duval Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland explained that, after doing further research into the matter, he learned that the new address is still technically within the district lines that were in place when Willie was elected.
“He was elected under the old school board district lines. They were changed, not for his election in 2022, but they were changed for the elections in 2024. So, you don’t lose the area in which you represent,” said Holland.
Local ordinance provides that any redistricting of school board districts, “shall not affect any term of office in existence at the date of such redistricting but shall be applicable only to the next succeeding school board election”.
“So, he did move within the district, and he is 100 percent legal where he’s registered to vote,” said Holland.
There are still some lingering questions.
Willie does not own the home he now claims to live in.
Property appraiser records do show him as the owner of a different home at his old address.
Willie has also not responded to numerous inquiries from Action News Jax asking him to clarify which house he lives in.
So, we stopped by the house Willie owns.
No one answered.
Then we went to the house where he claims to have moved.
Willie’s name was not listed on the registry at the front gate of the neighborhood.
When we rang the doorbell, we got an answer.
“Hello,” a male voice said through a video doorbell.
After introducing ourselves as a reporter with Action News Jax, the person on the other line immediately hung up.
Holland explained that, regardless of which home Willie lives in, he is clear on his residency issues for his current school board seat.
The Duval GOP was quick to call Willie out Thursday, claiming he “abandoned the community that elected him” and alleged he was in “serious violation of state law”.
Upon learning he’s not in violation of his residency requirements, we asked the local GOP to provide an updated statement.
We were told they were working on a statement, but we have not yet received one.
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