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Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Early voting ends Saturday at 6 p.m.

"Anyone who is a registered voter can cast their ballot at any of our three early voting locations," said Pam Carpenter, Alachua County's supervisor of elections. 

After that, Florida law requires voters to cast ballots only at their assigned precinct, which can be found online at the Vote Alachua website. 

Voters who wants to update their registration information can go to the website or call the Supervisor of Elections office, Carpenter said.

As of about 4 p.m. Tuesday, 9,767 people had voted early in Alachua County and more than 14,000 absentee ballots were received.

Congressional District 3 Representative:

Ted Yoho (Republican)

Ted Yoho is looking for reelection as a representative for Florida District 3 in House of Representatives. The University of Florida alumnus was elected into office in 2012 and has a background in veterinary science.

Yoho supports simplifying the tax code, decreasing government spending and limiting congressional terms -- Yoho pledges to serve only four terms.

He also believes in repealing Obamacare and securing the border. He is pro-life and believes the right to bear arms is a “birth right.”

Yoho is a supporter of drilling projects within the country, including the Keystone Pipeline, alternative energy and abolishing the Department of Energy.

 

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Marihelen Wheeler (Democrat)

Marihelen Wheeler is vying for a seat in the House of Representatives for Florida’s District 3 after an unsuccessful bid in 2012 for a seat in District 20.

Wheeler, a Kentucky native, moved to Levy County in 1982 to work as an art teacher in Levy County. She is an activist for Florida water issues, spending eight years as an outspoken advocate for water conservation in Florida springs, rivers and coastal waters.

Apart from her environmental focus, Wheeler will also turn attention to equal pay rights for women, assuring affordable health care, passage of the DREAM act and added transparency and creating a pathway for to citizenship for immigrants already in the country.

Wheeler will also support raising the minimum wage, making college more affordable and reintegrating vocational training into the public school curriculum.  

 

Congressional District 5 Representative:

Glo Smith (Republican)

Glo Smith is running for a seat as a representative for Florida District 5 in the House of Representatives.

The Jacksonville native has had a 30-year career in public service and entrepreneurship, working as a small business owner and developing curriculum for the University of North Florida’s Small Business Resource Center that created high-quality child care businesses in low-income areas of Northeast Florida.

Smith is a strong proponent of job creation and interpreting the Constitution by its intended meaning. She supports fair tax and the right to bear arms.

Smith is also in favor of limiting government spending through entitlement reforms while assuring funding for the military and promoting employment opportunities for veterans. She opposes Obamacare.

 

Corrine Brown (Democrat)

Corrine Brown is running for re-election as Florida's District 5 representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Jacksonville-native previously served in the Florida House of Representatives for six years before transitioning to the U.S. House, where she served as the District 3 representative for 20 years.

In Jan. 2013, the incumbent candidate assumed office for District 5.

The Florida A&M alumnae has an education specialist master's degree from UF and has previously advocated the decriminalization of marijuana.

Brown is a proponent of Obamacare and has voted against prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortions. She continually spearheads efforts against the state's "Stand Your Ground" laws, according to her website, and helped pass one of the VA budget's largest increases to date.

Brown supports a comprehensive energy plan, increased education funding and expanding job opportunities through transportation initiatives.

 

Governor and Lt. Governor:

Rick Scott and Carlos Lopez-Cantera (Republican)

Republican Incumbent Rick Scott hopes to become the second two-term Florida governor after Jeb Bush. Scott’s top priority of creating jobs, a slogan that defined his first term, continues to be a central point of his campaign.

Scott, 61, also promises to put more money into education and decrease the cost of tuition. He aims to cut taxes by up to $1 billion.  

Other areas of emphasis include environmental protection and investing in airports and seaports.

During his first term, Scott decreased unemployment by 5 percent, created more than 650,000 jobs and enacted 40 tax cuts, according to his website.

 

Charlie Crist and Annette Taddeo (Democratic)

Charlie Crist, who served as a Republican governor from 2007 to 2011, is bidding for a second term – this time as a Democrat.

Crist, 58, will focus on policy for education, energy and healthcare. He promises to restore funding cuts to schools, reduce standardized testing and raise per-student funding to the level when he was governor: $7,126.33.

He supports environmental protection and encourages the use of solar energy.

Crist is also in favor of expanding Medicaid to cover more low-income citizens, as well as increasing the state minimum wage to $10.10.

Like Scott, Crist believes in creating more jobs for Floridians, but aims to focus on expanding opportunities for small businesses in order to create those jobs.

 

Attorney General:

Pam Bondi (Republican)

Republican incumbent for attorney general, Pam Bondi, will be vying for a second term in November. The 48-year-old Tampa native and University of Florida alumnae was the first woman to take the post in 2010.

Her first term was highlighted by a crime crackdown. Bondi took on pill mills and prescription drug abuse in Florida, championing an anti-pill mill law in 2011. Her first term also looked to streamline human trafficking laws.  

Bondi is a stringent opponent of Obamacare. She opposes same-sex marriage in the state of Florida, supporting the delay of a decision on the issue until the Supreme Court ultimately releases a federal ruling on same-sex marriage.

 

George Sheldon (Democrat)

Democrat George Sheldon will challenge Bondi for the seat of attorney general. The 67-year-old New Jersey native grew up in Plant City, Fla., and has had experience as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families and as the acting assistant secretary at the federal Administration for Children and Families.

Sheldon aims to protect consumers from fraud, target criminals and assist victims of crime. He supports the legalization of medical marijuana, Obamacare and the preservation of Florida’s natural resources.

Sheldon also supports same-sex marriage and is pro-choice.

“I don’t believe government should tell people whom to love or should interfere in decisions women make in consultation with their doctors,” he said in a video on his website.

 

Chief Financial Adviser:

Jeff Atawater (Republican)

Republican incumbent Jeff Atawater will run for a second term as Florida’s chief financial adviser. Atawater assumed office in 2011 and previously held positions as a member of the Florida Senate from 2002 to 2010, becoming Senate president in 2008 and served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2002.

The University of Florida alumnus will focus on efficiently managing taxpayer dollars to reduce burdens on Florida families. Atawater’s priorities include fighting financial fraud, streamlining regulations and increasing transparency in government spending. Since taking office he has successfully shut down several fraud rings in the state.

 

William Rankin (Democrat)

Democrat William Rankin will bring his background as a financial officer and international businessman to his bid for chief financial officer.

He previously served in law enforcement as a special agent with the criminal investigator of the U.S. Army. He specialized in fighting economic crime, fraud in government agencies and arson investigations.

Rankin he will take his background in fighting government financial crime and fraud to promote new businesses and jobs in Florida, eliminate fraud and increase transparency.

 

Commissioner of Agriculture:

Adam Putnam (Republican)

Adam Putnam is running for his second term as a Republican agriculture commissioner.

During his first term, Putnam successfully increased the amount of fresh produce in public schools, expanded food-stamp resources to farmer’s markets and moved more food into food banks. He proposed a law to move funds from electricity’s commercial tax to education infrastructure.

Putnam will focus on continuing to expand Florida’s access to fresh produce and seafood, protecting the state’s water supply and establishing a constant and reliable supply of energy.  

 

Thaddeus “Thad” Hamilton (Democrat)

Thad Hamilton is attempting a second run at commissioner of agriculture. He originally ran in 2010 as a non-partisan candidate.

His experience includes 36 years at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation services in local, state and national levels. His past accolades include the establishment of about 95 percent of coastal sand dunes in Broward County and serving as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army.

Hamilton will focus on ensuring Florida is a sustainable state, reducing pollutants in the environment and enhancing the agriculture industry to create jobs for Floridians.

 

State Representative: Alachua County

Keith Warren Perry (Republican)

Keith Perry is a Republican incumbent looking for a third term in the Florida House of Representatives. Perry grew up in Gainesville, where he started Perry Roofing Contractors out of high school before going on to be a campaign manager for Senator Steve Oelrich and a member of the Chamber of Commerce. His term as a Florida Representative began in 2010 and was followed with his reelection in 2012.

Perry believes in growing agriculture and protecting the greenbelt classification of farms. He believes in creating a pro-business environment to create jobs without government or public sector involvement. As a business owner, Perry will focus on lowering taxes and eliminating excess spending.

Perry is pro-life, against Obamacare, believes states should have a role in controlling immigration and is supportive of preventing the brain-drain in Florida by keeping bright students within the state.

 

Jon Uman (Democrat)

Democrat Jon Uman decided to run for state representative rather than run as a judge in January.

Uman, who is a local attorney, believes in improving public education, decreasing the cost of college and protecting natural resources to expand the middle class.  

He suggests various changes to public education, including keeping class sizes small, preventing teacher layoffs and protecting athletics, art and music.

Uman will focus on protecting water supplies from springs, rivers and the aquifer, and will look to invest in renewable energy. He is against prison privatization.

 

County Commission District 2

Charles Lee Pinkoson (Democrat)

Charles Pinkoson will run for reelection for the Alachua County District 2 seat.

Pinkoson was elected to Alachua County Commission in November 2002 after retiring from a 31-year career as an optician and owning a business for 22 years.

The University of Florida alumnus will focus on pushing for a wider spectrum of jobs and supporting local businesses.

Pinkoson believes in increasing funding for infrastructure, particularly roads. He will push for funding for early development programs and parent programs to teach new parents. He believes in creating job opportunities to encourage students to find employment in the area. Pinkoson will also support work to repair the damaged bodies of water and wetlands.

 

County Commission District 4:

John Martin (Republican)

John Martin is running for the Alachua County Commission’s District 4 seat.

Martin has previously served on the Hawthorne City Commission for 13 years and as the city’s mayor for five. A small-business owner, former rancher, electrician and commercial truck driver, Martin has lived in Alachua County his entire life.

Martin does not support the new road and transit tax on the November ballot, and instead supports the Commission using existing funds to make road repairs.

He is against agenda-driven politics, promising to go against the majority of commissioners on subjects he believes in. Martin will also focus on creating a variety of job opportunities in Alachua County and creating a fair playing field to promote growth for different kinds of businesses.

 

Ken Cornell (Democrat)

Gainesville-native Ken Cornell is running for the Alachua County Commission for the second time, this time for the District 4 seat.

The University of Florida alumnus and Gainesville native is a small business owner and a broker-associate and senior vice president with Bosshardt Realty Services.

Cornell will put a strong focus on sustainability and conservation. He believes preserving natural resources will be critical for continued economic development.

Cornell will work to streamline local government and focus on taking a strong financial position to combat budgetary challenges.

He believes in implementing policies that bridge the gap between low- and high-income students.

 

District Court of Appeal:

 

Robert Benton (Nonpartisan)

Benton has been a judge for the First District Court of Appeal since 1994. He served as chief judge from 2010 to 2013.

 

Joseph Lewis Jr. (Nonpartisan)

Lewis has been the chief judge of the First District Court of Appeal since 2013. He has served as a judge since 2001.

 

Scott Makar (Republican)

Makar was appointed as a judge for the First District Court of Appeal in 2012 by Gov. Rick Scott.

 

Tim Osterhaus (Republican)

Osterhaus was appointed as a judge for the First District Court of Appeal in 2013 by Gov. Rick Scott.

 

Clay Roberts (Democrat)

Roberts was appointed as a judge for the First District Court of Appeal in 2007 by Gov. Charlie Crist.

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