Kolby Urban and Jose Martinez will settle the special election for Seat 3 Tuesday night.
The two — Urban got 48.8 percent and Martinez 27.8 percent of 4,410 votes — were the top vote-getters in the Oct. 5 primary in a five-way race that included Phillip Lantry, Daniel Minckler and Victor Rivera.
Early voting is under way through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the St. Cloud Civic Center and through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Supervisor of Elections office at 2509 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway (north side of intersection at Partin Settlement Road).
If you received a mail-in ballot and have yet to return it, at this point the SOE recommends you drop it off at its office. Election Day is on Tuesday at six regular polling locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters should refer to their voter registration card, or the SOE website (voteosceola.com) for their location.
Martinez is a business owner and chair of the non-profit the St. Cloud Proud Foundation. Urban is a housing contractor, lifelong resident and member of the city’s Economic Advisory committee.
Urban said the work to get the word out about his campaign has kept up non-stop since the primary election last month.
“It’s been great, and now we’re down to the end,” he said. “We went back to work, knocking on doors, making phone calls, reminding people to get back out and vote one more time. That’s been the challenge, to get people to do this in an off year, but it’s important. My wife and I voted at the Civic Center Saturday, it takes 30 seconds. We hope to have another positive result.”
Martinez said he’s been working the last few weeks urging those who didn’t vote in October to exercise their opportunity to do so.
“I’ve learned people have a lot of needs and concerns, and they’re legit,” he said. “My hopes are high they will come out and vote.”
The June 12 passing of Seat 3’s Chuck Cooper made this election necessary.
