The race for Tallahassee City Commission Seat 5 is still neck and neck.

As of 8:07 p.m., 58 of 80 local precincts have been accounted for. City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox is still hanging on to her lead with 39.69% of the vote, and former mayor Dot Inman-Johnson is close behind with 36.86%, according to unofficial results from the Leon County Supervisor of Elections. Tifany Hill, a retired Army combat medic who is still trailing in third place, has 23.46% of the vote.

Williams-Cox is competing against Inman-Johnson and Hill to keep her spot on the dais. It’s possible a winner could be decided tonight, but if no one candidate gets more than half the vote, the top two vote-getters go on to the Nov. 3 general election.

After seeing the early results, Williams-Cox told the Tallahassee Democrat she was feeling “very hopeful.”

“I see the anticipation building, and I’m looking forward to great results tonight,” she said.

Regardless of when the winner is crowned, the results could shift the power dynamic in City Hall, as three of the commission’s seats are up for re-election, and Williams-Cox is the only incumbent seeking re-election.

▶Follow live local coverage: The latest updates from the local primary election and results

▶The state of the state races: Follow live coverage of Florida’s top races

▶Results from other races: Leon and Tallahassee races | State House, Senate and Cabinet races | Congressional House and Senate races 

Mayor John Dailey decided to step down from public office at the end of his term, and City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who currently holds City Commission Seat 3, opted to leave his post and make a bid for mayor. 

Dailey, Williams-Cox and Commissioner Curtis Richardson currently make up the majority voting bloc. If Williams-Cox doesn’t get re-elected, the powers that be could shift to more progressive control of City Hall.

See the candidates, their supporters at election night watch parties

1 of 7

City Commission Seat 5 incumbent Dianne Williams-Cox takes a photo with her supporters at her watch party hosted at Tallahassee Nights Live on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat)

Three women vie for the seat in a largely cordial campaign

Williams-Cox filed for re-election early on July 1, 2025, and was unopposed until that September when Bernard Stevens Jr. entered the race. Stevens previously ran for Richardson’s seat in 2024.

In January, Hill and Joe Kalicki, a technology professional, filed, making Inman-Johnson the last to enter. Ultimately, Kalicki and Stevens both withdrew from the race and weren’t on the ballot, bringing the battle to a head among the three women.

The race has remained relatively tame with few political attacks made along the campaign trail, but the race crosses personal lines as Inman-Johnson previously was a mentor to Williams-Cox. Eight years ago, the political heavyweight urged the commissioner to run for her seat in office. Now she’s competing against her.

During a June candidate forum, Inman-Johnson said she used to be “a big fan” of Williams-Cox back then, but “she became a different person after she was elected.” 

Williams-Cox said the race wasn’t personal and she applauds Inman-Johnson’s historical record.

The two have generated the most funds along the campaign trail with Williams-Cox in the lead by fundraising $75,537 and Inman-Johnson fundraising $23,784. Hill was close behind with $22,645.

Williams-Cox secured thousands from major local developers, including Arbor Properties, owned by Gordon Thames, NAI TALCOR, owned by Ed Murray, and Sandco, owned by the Gahazvini family. Inman-Johnson generated funds from many Tallahassee locals, including Rick Kearney, who founded the Kearney Center, and former City Commissioner Debbie Lightsey.

Hill funded a portion of campaign herself and from donations from Tallahassee residents, as well as, residents from other Florida cities.

Tallahassee City Commission Seat 5 forum

1 of 20

Candidates running for City Commission Seat 5 Tifany Hill, Dot Inman-Johnson and incumbent Diane Williams-Cox participate in forum held at WFSU on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat)

Campaign finances at a glance

Dianne Williams-Cox: Raised $75,537. Spent $69,029.

Dot Inman-Johnson: Raised $23,784. Spent $16,568.

Tifany Hill: Raised $22,645. Spent $22,346.

Joseph Kalicki: Raised $20,112. Spent $11,522.

Bernard Stevens Jr.: Raised none. Spent none.

Candidates offer competing visions on spending

The candidates have spent months making their case to voters, each pointing out why they should be elected and how they’d implement change if they were to be in office.

Public safety is always a major issue hotly debated on the campaign trail, and at the June forum, Williams-Cox pointed to how the city proactively manages its budget to prioritize efforts that will improve publicly safety.

Inman-Johnson supports improving public safety; however, she criticized the city’s management of public funds and said city officials should target high executive pay for potential savings. Hill also agreed with this and emphasized public safety as a top priority.

(This is a developing story. Check back for updates).

Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Results: Commissioner Williams-Cox in tight race with Inman-Johnson