Peluso wins Palm Harbor fire board Seat 2

Julie Peluso won the race for Seat 2 on the Palm Harbor Special Fire Control and Rescue District board with 14,480 votes, or 56.3%, to Benjamin Nichols' 11,248 votes, or 43.7%, according to unofficial results from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. The results, updated at 7:46 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, reflect all 17 reporting units, with 25,728 votes counted. Peluso won by 3,232 votes, a margin of 12.6 percentage points.

Peluso, the incumbent, has held Seat 2 since 2006. The nonpartisan race drew two candidates for a four-year term on the five-member board that oversees Palm Harbor Fire Rescue.

What was at stake

The fire district board approves department policy, adopts the annual budget and sets the millage rate for Palm Harbor's fire tax, according to the district's website. The district's millage cap is 2.0, meaning property owners pay $2 per $1,000 in property value.

The key issues:

• Peluso said in a Beacon candidate questionnaire that the biggest challenge is maintaining service under budget constraints, noting the millage has been capped at 2 mills since 1996.
• Peluso said the district must stay competitive to recruit and retain firefighters while negotiating labor contracts responsibly.
• Nichols, who described himself as a Palm Harbor business owner and community leader, did not provide policy positions before the election.

The winner will help set the fire tax rate and budget that Palm Harbor property owners pay each year.

A little history

Peluso has served on the board since 2006 and describes herself as a 40-year Palm Harbor resident, according to her campaign website. She is a retired real estate broker and former president of United Home Mortgage Corp. She received endorsements from firefighter and law enforcement organizations, as we reported in October.

Nichols serves as president of the Palm Harbor Merchants Association and vice president of Palm Harbor Main Street, as we reported in October.

What's next

The board of commissioners meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Fire Station 65, 250 West Lake Road, Palm Harbor.

Election results: Palm Harbor Special Fire Control and Rescue District - Seat 2 (Florida General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. Results current as of Nov. 3, 2026, 7:46 p.m. EST. Reporting: 17 of 17. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.