It’s going to be a loud, lengthy election season in 2024 – and if you live in parts of Osceola County south, east and north of St. Cloud, it’s started as of Saturday.
The special election to fill the State Legislature district 35 seat of Fred Hawkins is Jan. 16. Early voting at the Narcoossee Community Center (5354 Rambling Road) and the Supervisor of Elections Office (2509 E. U.S. Highway 192 at Partin Settlement) runs Saturday, Jan. 6 through Jan. 13 daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Republican Erika Booth and Democrat Tom Keen were the winners of their primaries in November. The seat became open when Rep. Fred Hawkins left the Legislature to become school president of South Florida State College in Avon Park.
Two candidates laid out points of their platforms in a Nov. 30 story.
The Osceola County Supervisor of Elections office has mailed sample ballots or mail-in ballots (with instructions) to registered voters who live in House District 35.
On Jan. 16, voters can cast their ballot at their assigned polling precincts. (If you have your voter registration card handy, that will be in precincts 4000, 4008, 4202, 4502, 4503, 4504, 5001, 5003, 5008, 5009, 5010, 5011, 5012, 5013, 5204, 5500, 5501, 5504, 5505, 5506, 5507, 5508, 5509, 5510, 5511.)
This may be a low-turnout election – voter turnout in Osceola was 21.64% in the Nov. 7 primary, and it was around 16% in the Orange County precincts of areas like east of Lake Nona and Union Park, and in Avalon Park, Bithlo, Christmas and Wedgefield.
To check where you’re assigned to vote online, or to check the status of a mail ballot you sent in, go to https://www.voteosceola.gov/en-us/Voter-Information/Check-Your-Voter-Status.
