The issues bringing Seminole County out on election day: Trump, Amendment 3 and Winter Springs mayoral race

So far on election day, Amendment 3 is drawing mixed results across party lines, according to Oviedo Community News interviews with voters.

As of 6 p.m. election day, more than 187,000 voters had cast a ballot in Seminole County. Out of that, Republicans have a slight edge in votes cast at 72,917, compared to 66,448 votes by registered Democrats; 42,404 voters with no party affiliation have voted and 5,679 of other parties have voted. 

So far, turnout is already higher than during the 2022 primary election.

Timothy Harmon has grey hair down to his shoulders. He cast his vote at the Oviedo Presbyterian Church.

“I’d like to see more Democrats win. There’s too many Republicans,” Harmon said. “I want to see more Democrats just to even it up. Let’s get a little discussion going instead of rubber stamping everything.”

Amendment 3 would increase Florida’s property tax exemption to $250,000 over two years, while costing local government more than $12 billion annually at full implementation. Harmon voted for Amendment 3, saying things have become too expensive.

“Don’t worry, they’ll find another way to get tax money,” Harmon said. “They always do.”

Rob Prater, a Republican candidate for the Florida House of Representatives, said he voted against Amendment 3. He called the amendment “incomplete,” and said he wanted to see what the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission comes up with next year. The commission does a review of taxes and budgets every 20 years. 

“There is a 3% cap on property tax,” Prater said. “No cap was placed on what fees each county can charge residential properties. So I’d like to see it written more clearly.”

He said he’s also watching to see if Amendment 3 sways more independent voters. 

“This is why they call it a toss-up district,” Prater said. 

Across town at the Tuscawilla County Club, Mike Checchio said he voted yes for Amendment 3. He said the big races for him were contests for the governor’s mansion and Florida’s U.S. Senate seat. 

“I voted for (Byron) Donalds, mainly because of his endorsement from our current governor (Ron DeSantis), who I think is doing a good job,” Checchio said. “There’s a lot of issues that I didn’t agree with him on, but as far as keeping Florida safe, I think the crime is down.”

Checchio also said the Winter Springs mayor race was important to him. Incumbent Mayor Kevin McCann is facing a challenge from Jesse Phillips, who has made water quality and affordability central in his campaign. 

Checchio didn’t want to say who he voted for, but said water was his big issue. 

“My bill’s gone up 30% over the last three or four years,” Checchio said. “We’ve had issues in my community … where we had a boil water alert for, I don’t know, three or four days, which is kind of crazy. That’s a big issue.”

As he was talking, another resident walked by to get on his golf cart. Checchio raised his voice: “Am I right on that?”

“That’s right,” the other man replied with a laugh. 

Abe Aboraya is a Report for America corps member.