After all the sign-waving, door-knocking and hand-shaking, election day has finally arrived.
Pam Carpenter, supervisor of elections, said voters should go to their designated precincts to vote. The polls will remain open until 7 p.m.
In the last Commission race, which was in 2009, an at-large seat and the District 1 seat were contested and 20,232 people voted. This accounted for 26.9 percent of registered voters in Gainesville.
Carpenter said there were 73,914 eligible voters in Gainesville as of Monday afternoon.
“I would encourage anyone to vote, especially here at the local level,” she said. “The representatives here making decisions at the local level are the ones making the decisions that have the most impact on your life.”
With 13 candidates in the race, she hinted at the possibility of run-offs. Her staff has planned for one or more, just in case.
Ozzy Angulo, a candidate in the District 3 race, said voting is essential to the political process.
“That’s the most important piece of all of this,” he said.
At-large candidate Richard Selwach, however, offered a different take.
“If you don’t go out and vote, you’re going to get what the other guy voted for.”
To find your voting location, go to elections.alachua.fl.us and click on “My Voter Information Page.”
