City Election: Voter Turnout Tops Last Year's Turnout

By noon on election day, Tuesday, April 9, voter turnout for this year’s New Port Richey city council election had already exceeded the turnout of last year’s election. 

Unofficial numbers from the Pasco Supervisor of Elections Office reveal 746 people cast ballots in the election by midday.

The official tally at the end of Election Day revealed a final count tally of 1,964 votes counted in Tuesday’s election, according to the Pasco County Supervisor of Election’s website. This is a significant increase over last year’s election when only 525 people turned out to vote. The city has 8,422 registered voters.

There are two open seats on the city council. There are seven candidates vying to join the council. 

Candidates Bob Langford, Michael Malterer, Chopper Davis, Jonathan Tietz and Jeff Starkey were out at the sidewalk outside the polling place at the New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatic Center Tuesday, along with a supporter of Ginny Miller.

The candidates and their supporters mingled with each other, supporters and passersby.

A diverse sampling of residents came to the polling place to cast their ballots.   

Luz Marina is originally from Colombia. This was her first time voting and she was happy about doing so and having the freedom to cast a ballot.

She voted for Malterer.

“I like him because he is a young guy,” she said.

Mike Facemire, who has been a New Port Richey resident since the 1970s, cast a vote for friend Chopper Davis, who is the former owner of Jilly’s bar in downtown New Port Richey.

Facemire noted that Davis has lived in the city for a long time and touted his business experience.

“I think he’ll do a great job,”  he said.

Ida Duffy, longtime member of the Finnish American Club in New Port Richey and former president, cast votes for Starkey and Langford. Starkey, who isse is of Finnish descent on his mother's side, went to speak to the club.

“I liked what he had to say,” Duffy said.

Asked what she was looking for in a council member, Duffy said she wants someone who plays attention to people but also follows the law. 

Patch asked: Why’s it important to participate in local elections?

“The council has more to do with your daily life than the president," Duffy responded.

Susan Grey, a member of the Grey family that has long called New Port Richey home, declined to name who she voted for. But she rattled off a list of problems that need to be taken care of by the new council.

“The taxes are high,” she said. “The crime’s high. Streets are dark.”

Grey, whose grandfather was Frank I. Grey, founder of F.I. Grey and Son Realtors,  said “you don’t feel safe” in the city anymore.

Updated 7:40 a.m. April 10.