NAPLES, Fla. — As we headed towards the final hours of waiting to find out who our next Naples Mayor will be, a long, often intense campaign for these candidates turned into antipicated celebrations for our current Mayor Teresa Heitmann and former Councilmember Gary Price.
"I think it's an exciting night for the community," said Heitmann.
"I think everybody's energized and it's always a humbling experience to go through this process," said Price.
As they thought this night marked an end to the campaign trail and an end to a period of intense politics
"Definitely different than any I have seen in my 18-plus years here, very heated throughout this election," said Melissa Blazier, Collier Supervisor of Elections.
An election that both residents and officials could agree was one they had never seen before.
"It was very sad to see the politics that came in that ugly campaigning," said Heitmann. "That's not the way Naples does any kind of campaigning.
However, the race is not over yet. Results show Heitmann winning by just 12 votes and that means the county must now issue a recount.
For now, the wait and the impact of the campaigns continue.
"It's a big commitment, and so anyone who's willing to run, and it's certainly something that takes a lot away from family and work, and we're grateful for the opportunity to serve," said Price.
The Supervisor of Elections office says they are scheduling a recount for both the Mayors' seat and one Council seat.
Fox 4 will keep you up to date on who our leaders will be.
