Jacksonville council elects Kevin Carico president designate and Nick Howland vice president designate

The Jacksonville City Council elected Councilman Kevin Carico as council president designate and Councilman Nick Howland as council vice president designate during a May 27, 2025, meeting, using the council’s paper-ballot procedure. Carico received 17 votes in favor, one vote against and one absence; Howland received 18 votes in favor with one excused absence.

The results came after floor nominations and short nominating remarks. Councilman Freeman nominated Kevin Carico for president designate; no other nominations were placed, and the council moved to a paper-ballot vote. Legislative services read the roll of members who cast ballots and announced the tally as 17 in favor, one against (Councilman Matt Carlucci) and one absence (Councilman Boylan). Following the tally, Councilman Carico addressed the council after being declared president designate.

Councilman Kevin Carico thanked colleagues and family after the vote. “It truly means the world to me to be…elected to lead this body,” Carico said, adding that he aims to be collegial and direct when needed. He described his goals generally as advancing the city and supporting the council.

For the vice president designation, Councilman Langdon nominated Councilman Nick Howland, and Councilman Arias seconded the nomination. Legislative services announced an 18–0 tally with one excused absence for Howland. Howland accepted the selection and said he was “humbled and honored” to earn the council’s support and listed public safety, infrastructure, job creation and fiscal responsibility as priorities he will support in leadership.

The council’s procedural announcement at the start of the item noted that council rules require paper ballots for the leadership vote; members were given two ballots, one for president designate and one for vice president designate. The secretary also announced that an installation for the president and vice president designates is planned for June and that a formal invitation would be released the next day.

The meeting record lists the members who voted for Carico as: Peluso; Diamond; Johnson; Gay; Arias; Amaro; Joe Carlucci; Salem; (Councilman) Carico; White; Howland; Laynan; Freeman; Pittman; Gaffney Jr.; Miller; and Clark Murray. The single recorded vote against Carico was Councilman Matt Carlucci; Councilman Boylan was recorded absent. The recorded votes for Howland mirrored the membership present, with Howland receiving 18 votes in favor and Boylan listed as excused absent.

No formal policy proposals or ordinance actions were taken as part of the leadership votes; the proceedings were limited to nominations, private paper-ballot voting, tallying and the acceptance remarks by the two designees. With the elections concluded, the president adjourned the meeting.