Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
Today – October 30, 2013 – is the last day you can request a mailed absentee ballot for the City of Fernandina Beach’s general election, which will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. To do so, contact the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Office by phone (904- 491-7500), online (www.votenassau.com) or in person at either of the two offices: 416 Centre Street (Historic Courthouse), Fernandina Beach, FL 32034; or 96135 Nassau Place, Suite 3 (James S. Page Governmental Center, Yulee, FL 32097.
Only Fernandina Beach registered voters are eligible to vote in Tuesday’s election. A link to a sample ballot may be found on the City of Fernandina Beach website home page: www.fbfl.org.
Registered voters will be able to vote in their normal polling place between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 5. If you do not know your polling place, consult the Supervisor of Elections website (www.votenassau.com). Remember that voters should bring current valid photo and signature identification to the polls. If such cannot be provided, you will be able to vote a provisional ballot. An important reminder: Voter Information cards may not be used as identification.
Fernandina voters are being asked to vote on three issues:
Issue One: Selecting a new member of the Fernandina Beach City Commission, Group 1, to replace retiring commissioner Arlene Filkoff.
The four candidates, whose biographies and financial statements may be found on the Supervisor of Elections website (www.votenassau.com) include:
- David Bert Austin
- Andrew J. Curtin
- Johnny Miller
- Lynn Williams
For additional information on the candidates and their positions, you may read their written responses to questions posed by the Fernandina Observer in earlier posts, as well as a report on the Candidates Forum sponsored by the Fernandina Observer on October 22, 2013. The Forum may also be viewed on the city’s public access television channel (Comcast 7 and 264) at these times: Wednesday (today) at 8:30pm; Thursday at 10:00am; Saturday at 10:15am; and Monday at 7:00pm. You may view the Forum on demand in two parts on the city’s website www.fbfl.org as well.
Official contact information for the candidates, as provided in their filings:
▪ David Bert Austin, 522 Citrona Drive. [email protected] (904) 310-5977
▪ Andrew J. Curtin, 1227 S. Fletcher Ave. [email protected] (904) 261-4947
▪ Johnny Miller, 301 S. 18th St. [email protected] (904) 556-3299
▪ Lynn Williams, 1899 S. Fletcher Ave. [email protected] (904) 491-0059
Issue 2: Straw Ballot for Mayor: vote for either Ed Boner or Sarah Pelican.
Issue 3: (City Charter Amendment) Question 1: Community Redevelopment Areas
Should the city charter be amended to repeal Section 107A regarding the limitation on the number of community redevelopment areas that may be created within the City and the 2% limitation on total value of real property within community redevelopment areas within the City? (Vote Yes for approval or No for rejection.)
A search of the Fernandina Observer website will provide you with much information on the topic of community redevelopment areas, or CRAs, and the deliberations of both the citizen Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Board (CRAA) and the Fernandina Beach City Commission with respect to this question.
If you delayed requesting a mail ballot and you will not be able to vote in person on Tuesday, you have another option: you may vote through the end of the week by casting a mail ballot in person at the Supervisor of Elections Office in the Historic Courthouse in downtown Fernandina Beach or the Page Governmental Center in Yulee.
Every election is important, but in off-year elections, when there is not as much publicity surrounding elections, it is especially important that you remember to vote.
To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain. – Louis L’Amour
October 30, 3013 11:36 a.m.