Local Vote: Who Will Fill the Empty Seat?

A crucial vote is happening in St. Lucie County's District 2. Voters get to decide who will take the open spot on the City Commission. The runoff election is set for January 13. It's a big deal because no one got over half the votes in the last election. Two people are left in the race. Chris Dzadovsky, a former County Commissioner, got the most votes in November with about 40%. He's up against Jaimebeth Galinis, a corporate executive, who got about 31%. Donna Benton, who got about 29%, is out of the running. Voting starts at 7 a. m. and ends at 7 p. m. on election day. But if you can't make it then, you can vote early. Early voting was from January 3 to January 10. A lot of people have already voted. Over 8% of eligible voters have cast their ballots so far. But remember, only people registered in District 2 can vote in this election.Some changes have been made to the voting locations. Two precincts that were open in November will be closed for this runoff. The votes from these precincts will be combined with nearby ones. Voters from the closed precincts will get a notice in the mail. There will also be signs to guide them to the right place. The City Commission seat has been empty since August. That's when Commissioner James Taylor stepped down. He was arrested and faces serious charges. This election is important for the community. It's a chance to fill the vacant seat and move forward.