Residents can have a say about who governs their city by casting ballots in today’s city runoff elections.
The polls will be open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
City commissioners decide on rules that affect how the city runs — everything from how late bars are allowed to stay open to how much residents’ Gainesville Regional Utilities bills will be.
Lauren Poe and Nathan Skop received the most votes for the city’s at-large 1 seat on the commission in the Jan. 31 regular elections. Neither received a majority, which led the race to a runoff.
Supervisor of Elections Pam Carpenter said 12,213 people voted in the January at-large election. Poe received the most votes with 4,411, and Skop followed with 2,955 votes.
“These are the people who are determining the direction of your community,” Carpenter said. “If you want to have a say in that direction, you have to go out and vote.”
Skop, a lawyer and former commissioner on the Florida Public Service Commission, has built his campaign around the need for fiscal responsibility, a more open government and increased public safety.
Poe, an associate professor at Santa Fe College and former city commissioner, has focused his campaign on furthering innovation, bringing more businesses to Gainesville and creating more public centers throughout neighborhoods.
Voters should bring a valid photo I.D. with a signature. Gator 1 Cards will be accepted.
Contact Adrianna Paidas at apaidas@alligator.org.
