VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Cities and towns across Central Florida will hold elections on Tuesday, Nov. 4, and a handful of those cities opened early voting polling places on Monday.
Lake Helen is holding elections for mayor and commission zone 3. These are at-large seats, which means anyone who lives in Lake Helen city limits can vote in these elections.
New Smyrna Beach is holding a special election for seven proposed amendments to the city charter.
[WATCH: Lake Helen city commission approves motion to retain police department]
Early voting runs from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Volusia County Supervisor of Elections office on Woodland Boulevard in DeLand. This will be the only early voting location.
Regular polling places will open on Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you are voting by mail, you need to have your ballot in to the supervisor of elections office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Night.
To find out if you are eligible to vote in these elections and to find your polling place, head to the supervisor’s website.
Lake Helen
Incumbent Mayor Vernon Burton is running against challenger Roger Eckert.
In the Zone 3 commission race, incumbent Commissioner Lynda Donato is running against challenger Sean Abshire.
The Zone 1 commission seat was also up for election, but incumbent Commissioner Heather Rutledge was reelected without opposition.
Again, all registered voters living in Lake Helen are eligible to vote in these elections. More information is on the Lake Helen website.
New Smyrna Beach
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The city of New Smyrna Beach is asking voters to decide on seven charter amendments.
- Change the mayor’s term of office from two years to four years.
- Declare a candidate for office the winner if they receive over 50% of votes in a primary election, allowing them to bypass a general election.
- Make the city clerk a department head supervised by the city manager.
- A salary increase for the city commission. This amendment would change how the salary is set.
- The mayor’s salary would increase from $28,081 to $50,545, making it 75% of what the Volusia County Council chair earns.
- Commissioner salaries would be adjusted from $21,060.75 to $37,909.35, which is 75% of what the mayor earns.
- An amendment that would encourage historic preservation through incentives and voluntary programs, rather than through policies and ordinances.
- A new section to the city charter that prioritizes the city’s commitment to cultural arts.
- Require a formal city charter review at least once every 10 years if the city commission doesn’t call for one sooner.
More information is on the City of New Smyrna Beach website.