Tuesday’s political races were extremely close, not just on the state level, but locally as some candidates won by slim margins.

St. Cloud has two new City Council members after voters elected Rebecca Borders for mayor and Russell Holmes for seat 3.

With just 158 votes between them, Borders beat Jay Polachek, the sitting councilman, by nearly 2 percent of the vote.

“It was a very close race. We were sitting on the edge of our seats all night,” Borders said. “I am ready to go to work for the city of St. Cloud and its residents.”

Holmes replaces Polachek on the dais by a huge victory over opponent Eric Dolhon after holding the lead all night. Holmes garnered 62 percent of the vote over Dolhon, netting nearly 1,900 votes more than his opponent.

Griffin

Holmes

Thomas Griffin retained his City Council seat 2 after beating opponents Edith “Edie” Sheehan and Donny Shroyer with 51 percent of the vote. No run-off election is needed, as Griffin earned 50 percent or more of the vote.

Council members will decide at the Nov. 18 council meeting who will take over the deputy mayor position, if anyone. Griffin is currently serving in that capacity.

St. Cloud voters also voted down a non-binding advisory referendum on Cyber Spot, with 66 percent voting against reinstating the citywide wireless Internet service.

Wanda Rentas, after coming in second to former Kissimmee City Commissioner Jeanne Van Meter in the Aug. 24 primary, was able to rise up and win the seat 2 run-off 4,247 to 3,724 votes, representing 53.28 percent of the vote. A total of 7,971 people voted.

Rentas

“I'm exited right now,” Rentas said.

She said she just talked to anybody and everyone about her campaign at every opportunity.

“I hit the pavement like crazy,” Rentas said. “I pounded on the roads.”

She will be sworn in at the Nov. 16 City Commission meeting.