By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

With just days left before Election Day, races are heating up and candidates are getting in their last phone calls and handshakes to potential voters.

St. Cloud may possibly swear in three new council members as the mayor, deputy mayor and seat 3 council seats are up for election.

Current seat 3 Councilman Jay Polachek is running for mayor against newcomer Rebecca Borders, who will be busy this weekend meeting people, making calls, walking neighborhoods and waving at intersections to get her name out to voters.

“It's been busy and it will be busier,” she said. “I'm still out meeting the people.”

Borders, who plans to watch the election results with friends Tuesday night, urged all registered voters to exercise their right to vote.

“In the municipal races, it only takes a handful of votes for your candidate to win or lose that election,” she said.

St. Cloud voters also will choose between incumbent Tom Griffin and his opponents Edith “Edie” Sheehan and Donny Shroyer for the deputy mayor seat, with the two top voter-getters headed to a Dec. 7 run-off if no one garners a majority. The third race, between Eric Dolhon and Russell Holmes, will decide who replaces Polachek in seat 3.

Kissimmee residents will elect either Wanda Rentas or Jeanne Van Meter to fill seat 2, previously held by Carlos Irizarry, who was removed by Gov. Charlie Crist after being arrested on a domestic violence felony charge in May. The City Commission chose to wait for the upcoming election to fill the vacant seat.

Commissioner Cheryl Grieb beat challenger Jorge Miranda in the Aug. 24 primary to retain seat 4.

Incumbent Republican John Quiñones faces off against Democrat Armando Ramirez for Osceola County Commissioner district 2, which represents Buenaventura Lakes and portions of Kissimmee.

Three candidates are vying for the County Commission district 4 spot being vacated by Ken Smith, who is retiring. Democrat Don Miers and Republican Frank Attkisson advanced from the primary election, joining non-party candidate Jose Colón on the ballot.

Miers, who will be watching the results at home with his family, said in an e-mail he would continue to walk neighborhoods the next few days and hopes residents vote to support local government.

“This election is extremely important for the voters to get out and have their voices be heard,” he said about the number of positions up for election. “This is an unique opportunity for our citizens to really have a say in their elected officials.”

Incumbent and current Osceola County School Board Chairman John McKay is defending his seat against Tom Long. Long said he will bring accountability, credibility and transparency to the School Board and “voters have control on the direction education takes in Osceola.”

Candidates have an opportunity to persuade nearly 2,500 new voters who registered between the August primary election and the Oct. 4 general election registration cutoff date. More than 147,000 registered voters live in Osceola County but Supervisor of Elections Mary Jane Arrington predicts only 37 percent of voters, or 54,500 people, will show up at the polls.

“I would love to see a 50 percent voter turnout but I don't think we are going to see that,” she said.

According to the elections office, there are 65,380 registered Democrats, 41,380 registered Republicans, 33,140 non-partisan registrants and 7,178 voters registered under other parties.

Approximately 6,000 absentee ballots have been returned, according to Amber Smith, community relations coordinator for the elections office.

Arrington urged all registered voters who have yet to cast their vote to make it to the polls.

“Voting is a great way to make your voice heard on issues and on who you want to represent you,” she said.

Early voting will run through Saturday at the Kissimmee Hart Memorial Library, Celebration library annex, Poinciana library, Buenaventura Lakes library and the St. Cloud library. Early voting also is being held at the Supervisor of Elections office. Saturday hours will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The addresses of all early voting sites can be found on the elections office website: www.voteosceola.com.

Registered voters were sent a sample ballot with their polling location on it. Polling locations are also available on the election office's website.

Anyone with questions about early voting or Election Day can call the elections office at 407-742-6000.