Elections

More Floridians voted for John McCain than Barack Obama on Election Day, but the Democrat sealed his victory in the state by winning more early and absentee votes. Full story »

Many more Floridians voted for John McCain on Election Day, but Barack Obama sealed his victory in the state by winning more early and absentee votes. Full story »

The state Elections Canvassing Commission made President-elect Barack Obama's victory in Florida official right on schedule Monday, just 13 days after a nearly glitch-free election. Full story »

Years of public service have brought him to this: Assistant Scout Master of Naples Boy Scout Troop 165. For former state Sen. Burt Saunders, the moniker is as important, if not more so, than any the Naples Republican has ever held. And the list is pretty lengthy: Collier County attorney, Collier County commissioner, state representative, state senator, committee chairman and Congressional candidate. As the Nov. 4 election ushered in a new legion of leaders from the nation’s first black president to a Republican banker from Naples who will take over his Senate seat, Saunders said he’s looking forward to spending more time with his boys, including twins he is helping become Eagle Scouts. Full story »

With more than 20,000 ballots to recount, it was a two-day process, but by the end of Friday evening, Collier County elections officials were able to determine a winner in the race for Seat 1 on the Golden Gate Fire Rescue and Control Commission. Incumbent Commissioner Robert “Rob” Stoneburner held on to his narrow lead. Full story »

Caveat emptor. President-elect Barack Obama cruised to an easy victory Nov. 4 on the strength of his “change” mantra, but many online ticket brokers are looking to score a lot more than just some spare change to witness the swearing-in of the country’s first African-American president on Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C. Full story »

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is among the candidates that President-elect Barack Obama is considering for secretary of state, according to two Democratic officials in close contact with the Obama transition team. Full story »

With more than 20,000 ballots to recount, it was an all-day process, but by the end of Thursday afternoon, Collier County elections officials were still unable to determine a winner in the race for Golden Gate Fire Rescue and Control Commission Seat 1. Full story »

Ballot recounting for close races in Collier County continues this morning, but Wednesday’s process determined winners in the Fiddler’s Creek and Lely communities. Overseen by Collier County Judge Rob Crown and Collier Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards, the elections office had to recount ballots for a tie in the Fiddler’s Creek Community Development District Seat 4 race as well as a very close contest for Lely Community Development District Seat 5. Full story »

Machine recounts of two local races will be conducted beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday by the Collier County Canvassing Board.
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Naples residents of all ages, races, religious affiliations and genders partied Sunday night in unity at an annual dinner in East Naples. It was a joyous party, and it would have been more so, if Amendment 2 had been defeated on Tuesday. You see, revelers enjoying each other’s company were all members of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders, known as PFLAG. And this gathering was about the joy of acceptance and unity. Full story »

President-elect Obama plans to use his executive powers to make an immediate impact when he takes office, perhaps reversing Bush administration policies on stem cell research and domestic drilling for oil and natural gas. Full story »

This is what happens when you put an election official in charge of elections. Florida’s top election official last week rightfully claimed that a nearly seamless 2008 presidential contest should allow the state to shed the stigma of being the nation’s electoral klutz and move forward as a model of modern voting. Full story »

An amendment creating property tax exemptions for residential hurricane-proofing and energy efficiency improvements is going into the Florida Constitution without a recount. Full story »

The numbers might indicate that Collier County voters care less than Lee County voters about their privilege to choose their laws and leaders. Collier’s turnout during the 2000 presidential election was 77 percent. For the 2004 presidential election it was, again, 77 percent. But this year, it was about 70 percent. Lee County, on the other hand, had an 85 percent turnout when this Election Day cycle ended Tuesday evening. Full story »