Early Voting For Avon Park Begins Monday

AVON PARK - Early voting for Avon Park's mayor and for one council seat begins Monday, making it the first time in the city's history that it is holding early voting for local offices.

Voters will pick between four mayoral candidates and four contestants for Councilman Doug Eason's seat, which he is vacating.

Mayor Sharon Schuler is up against RCMA Technology Director Ed Dickerson, Local Advocacy Council Chairman Gonzalo Lezama and former Mayor Gordon Marshall.

Avon Park Air Force Range mechanic Paul Miller, retired pastor James Rahenkamp, middle school teacher Al Hinson and Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Michael Shirey are vying for Eason's seat.

City officials spent Wednesday morning at the Supervisor of Election's office in Sebring, testing out the
voting tabulators, preparing for next week, carrying out what Highlands County Supervisor of Elections Joe Campbell said were the same procedures done at the county-wide votes, only on a smaller scale.

City Clerk Sarah Adelt said that since this is the first time the city ever hosted an early voting session, the city had no idea how many people would take advantage of early voting. At the hours the city will perform the early voting, Adelt said it came at no extra cost to the taxpayers.

Voters can either go to city hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, or request an absentee ballot through the Supervisor of Elections office. If requesting an absentee ballot, voters must do so by Wednesday to get it mailed to them, or they can have somebody pick it up for them if they ask for it afterward.

Election Day is Nov. 6. Precincts 1 and 16A vote at the Avon Park Activities Center, while precincts 2 and 4A go to the Avon Park Tax Collector's Office. Both are downtown, across the street from each other.