NAPLES, Fla. — With just days until the election, Collier County voters are gearing up to cast their ballots. However, compared to neighboring Lee County, there will be fewer races and almost no local Democrats to choose from.
When examining the ballot, voters in Collier County will see both Democrats and Republicans competing in state and federal elections. But on the local level, Republicans are largely running unopposed.
Sandy Ussia, the Vice Chair of the Collier County Democratic Party, says the party's focus is primarily on non-partisan school board races and amendments.
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When asked about the lack of Democratic candidates for county commission districts 1 and 3 and other notable positions, Ussia explained that it's a challenge finding people willing to run in the largely Republican area.
"If we can get people that are willing to run for office, I mean that’s the key. It’s finding those people who are willing to put the time and the effort to run for office, which is what we’ve been able to do on all of the legislative issues—but some of it does take work for people to do that," Ussia explained.
Despite the challenges, Democrats are investing in candidates like Charles Work, who is running for Florida House Seat 81 against Yvette Benarroch. They have candidates in the races for House Seats 80 and 82.
Adjunct Professor Peter Bergerson from Florida Gulf Coast University spoke to Fox 4 about the political landscape in Collier County.
“Collier County is overwhelmingly Republican, with a voter registration of about 65-35% in favor of Republicans,” he said. He added, “The Democratic Party is mostly dormant, making it hard to find candidates willing to take on those odds. Additionally, the cost of campaigning is a significant hurdle."
A tally from the Collier County Supervisor of Elections shows that more than 116,000 people have already voted in Collier County so far.
Polls opened for early voting in Collier County on Monday, Oct. 21, and will be open until Saturday, Nov. 2.
The general election takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
