Longboat electors speak up

Voters filtered in and out of Town Hall and the Longboat Island Chapel on Tuesday, many of whom wore an “I voted” sticker as they left.

These electors took a few minutes out of their days to cast a ballot for three commission candidates and three referenddums. Districts 3 and 5 and an at-large seat on the Town Commission are up for contention — a new charter, renovations and rebuild of fire stations and school taxes were presented as a yes or no vote.

Some people who voted got information they needed to make a decision from newspapers and the internet, others got it from neighbors and friends. Regardless of where they got their information, however, most found what they learned helpful in casting their vote.

And for those who didn’t feel they had enough information, like Roslyn Painter-Goffi, some of the ballot was left blank.

Painter-Goffi, a Country Club Shores resident, said she didn’t vote for the at-large election nor the District 5 election because she didn’t know enough about the candidates and their views. She’d seen signs for District 5 candidates Randy Langley and Ed Zunz, but that Painter-Goffi said that didn’t influence her much.

“I respect everybody who’s running,” Painter-Goffi said.

Both Zunz and Langley were campaigning in front of Town Hall on Tuesday, much like they’d been over the past week for early voting.

If people meet him, Langley said, they’ll vote for him.

“I feel positive for being an underdog,” Langley said. “I’m arrogantly optimistic.”

Both candidates for District 5 have had vehicles with campaign signs on them parked in front of Town Hall for at least a week. At-large candidate Jack Wilson and District 3 candidate Ken Schneier both had booths outside Town Hall, also. 

Incumbent candidate Zunz said he had been campaigning this way because his opponent was. But Zunz said he’s been encouraged by voters, who’ve asked him about referendum questions and why the decision was made to make the voter-dependent changes.

“At least they ask questions,” Zunz said. “I give them credit for asking questions.”

William Diem said he still had many questions even as he went into the voting booth. He’d read newspapers to get information about the referendum questions, but had a hard time finding anything on the town website.

[Ready, set, vote on Longboat Key]

Diem said he voted no for a new charter.

“I decided not to vote for the charter because it seemed like they were centralizing power,” Diem said. “It’s Putin-esque.”

Judy Jesiolowski said she voted yes on the charter referendum and thinks the town’s foundational document needs to be updated more often. The charter now requires it be assessed every 10 years, Jesiolowski said it should be done every four.

In this, her second, election on Longboat Key, Jesiolowski said the most important issues to her when deciding which candidate to vote for were redevelopment at the site of the former Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, approved this past week, and traffic.

Jesiolowski said she voted yes on all referendum questions — “you get what you pay for” with the fire department — and Zunz for District 5, Ken Schneier for District 3 and Jack Wilson for the at-large seat.

Seymour Kagan said that he got a lot of his information just chatting with friends. Articles in local papers also helped him make his decision in the booth — one he makes every year, he said.

“I vote in any election,” Kagan said. “Like any other right, if you don’t use it you lose it.”

Fred Kagi said he’s been voting on the island for five years. He said he didn’t feel strong positive or negative feelings about any of the candidates, although he would like to see new people on the Commission.

“I think local elections influence more people than national elections,” Kagi said. “It’s more at home.”

Voting will continue until 7 tonight at Longboat Key Town Hall and the Longboat Island Chapel.