Historical and Contemporary Prospective
African Americans are the political minority in Okaloosa County and City of Fort Walton Beach. African Americans and other minorities have faced real barriers to being elected to political office in Fort Walton Beach and Northwest Florida! African Americans do not have the critical mass and make up less than 10 precent of the total population of the three Northwest Florida counties.
Over the years the Ft Walton Beach, FL population has become more racially diverse. The 2020 US Census recorded 22,521 for Ft Walton Beach, FL. The Black or African American alone percent was reported at 11.6 % or 2,612.
Very few candidates for political office in Northwest Florida win election without Republican behind their name. Most African American in Northwest Florida and Fort Walton Beach are registered Democrats! Current active registered voters of Okaloosa County as of 02/21/2022: Democrats 25,953, Republicans 79,684, others 35,691 for a total of 141,328 voters.
Marcus Chambers
Currently, Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of the Okaloosa County Schools is the only serving African American Countywide Elected official in Okaloosa County FL and the first African American elected as Superintendent of the Okaloosa County Schools!
No minority has ever been elected or appointed to serve Okaloosa, Santa Rosa or Walton counties as County Commissioner, Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections or Clerk of Courts! In the history of Fort Walton Beach Florida, only three African American, two males and one female, have been elected to the Fort Walton Beach City Council.
Charlie H. Hill
Charlie H. Hill, Educator and Civic Activist was the first black to hold political office in Ft Walton Beach, Florida. He was elected to Ft Walton Beach City Council in 1973 and at the time, 90 precent of the Fort Walton Beach’s voters were white. He served two terms before being defeated in the 1981 election.
He worked as a teacher, principal and attendance coordinator for the Okaloosa County School District. He served as principal at Brook Elementary School and Combs Hight School From 1953 to 1968. Most of those years were before county schools were integrated in 1964.
In between his 31 service years with the Okaloosa County Public Schools as teacher, principal and attendance coordinator he served as the Civilian equal opportunity officer at Eglin Air Force Base!
At the time of his death, July 27, 1990, he was doing part-time consulting work and serving on the Okaloosa-Walton County College Board of Trustees.
Lee Bobo
Lee Bobo, who in 1985 became just the second Black person elected to the Fort Walton Beach City Council. He served on City Council from 1985-89 but failed in an effort to retain the seat. He later lost as a candidate for the state House of Representatives.
Bobo, a U.S. Air Force veteran, arrived in Fort Walton Beach in 1969 and later retired from the military in 1974, starting a new career in the local area as a car salesman.
The Okaloosa County Branch NAACP and the City of Fort Walton Beach held a special Lee Bobo Day Commemoration Luncheon on Oct. 14,2017 in The Life Center at 15 Carson Drive in Fort Walton Beach. The luncheon was an opportunity for the community to say thank you to one of the county’s most influential citizens and avid community advocates of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Lee Clarence Bobo, a beloved figure in the Fort Walton Beach community, passed away peacefully at home on December 22, 2023.
Joyce Gillie Gossom
Joyce Gillie Gossom, who was the first and only black woman elected to the Fort Walton Beach City Council left the Fort Walton Beach City Council in 2015 following her first full term. She was a member of the City Council that voted to change the city charter to eliminate district elections and have all candidates for council seats compete against one another. Given time, she believes, this will encourage more people, and subsequently more minorities, to seek office.
Joyce Gillie Gossom was appointed to City Council in 2010 and won election in 2011, serving through 2014 before stepping down in 2015. She was the last minority represented in city government in Fort Walton Beach.
Okaloosa County Voter Information
We all hear that voting is important, but it can be easy to feel discouraged and forget the true significance of your participation in elections.
Voting is essential because it pushes a country’s democracy to function in a fair and equal way. The whole point of a democracy is to ensure that everyone has their chance to elect a candidate and vote for policies that represent and benefit their communities.
Fort Walton Beach African Americans are encouraged to get involved in their local political party of choice and vote! Okaloosa County Voter Information!
Ft Walton Beach City Council Election 2025
Debra “Debi” Riley led all candidates to become the 2nd black female to be elected to Ft Walton Beach City Council and the first Black native born elected to City Council!
Debra “Debi” Riley, MSW, is the first Black native citizen of Fort Walton Beach, Florida to be elected to the Ft Walton Beach City Council. She is a product of the local public school system as she attended Wright Elementary, Pryor Middle School, and graduated from Fort Walton Beach High School. Debi received her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science with two minors in Political Science and Business from Troy State University, and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of West Florida. Debi is a member of the National Association of Social Workers.
Debi began her professional career working at the Fort Walton Beach Public Housing Authority under the umbrella of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a social worker for the National United Tenant Association (NAUTA). She later worked in behavioral health at Bridgeway Center, Inc. She retired from State of Florida Department of Health Okaloosa as the Okaloosa County Health Department’s Director of Healthy Start, where she worked tirelessly providing resources and support to pregnant mothers and their babies. Currently, she is the Executive Director of Okaloosa County Head Start, providing early childhood education services to infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children from low-income families.
Debi has worked diligently in the local community assisting families with educational, social, economic, health and welfare, and affordable housing issues. She worked aggressively in the Sylvania Heights – Combs New Heights communities to assist with the designation of a Florida Front Porch Community, a distinct initiative of Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. She is one of the founding members of the Burnette Harmon Wood Community Resource Center, Inc.
Fort Walton Beach Election 2025 Results
City Council
- Brandon Bishop: 445 votes (10.94%)
- Logan Browning: 820 votes (20.16%)
- Sonya Faison-Vazquez: 339 votes (8.34%)
- Jason E. Harwell: 303 votes (7.45%)
- Ben Merrell: 697 votes (17.14%)
- Debi “Debra” Riley: 878 votes (21.59%)
- Travis Smith: 585 votes (14.38%)
City of Fort Walton Beach City Council
The City Council is the legislative body of the City composed of a Mayor and seven, at-large Council members who are elected to four-year, staggered terms.
The City Council appoints the City Manager, City Clerk and City Attorney. The City Council initiates all ordinances and resolutions setting City policy. Additionally, the City Council adopts an annual budget and appoints all members of Boards and Committees.