Column: Want a ballot? Read this first

When the voters of St. Petersburg show up for city elections on Nov. 6, a poll worker will hand them an unusual letter.

Voters will be asked to read the letter before voting, then to hand it in before leaving. There will be 50 copies circulating at each precinct.

The letter, written by the city's government, spells out the consequences of voting a certain way in one of the races for City Council.

The choices in that race are between an incumbent council member, James Bennett, and an option on the ballot labeled "New Election." [link to entire column]

Here's the city's letter to be handed out to voters:

Here's the instruction to poll workers:

Comments

[Pablo]

No incumbents, no mayoral endorsees -- all new blood with all new ideas. Bill Dudley has displayed great leadership over the years as a teacher and coach. Let's elect him to lead the way on a fresh new council! Unseating Bennett will be worth the cost!

Bennett has a good record and I am voting for him.

Ed Montanari is much more qualified and prepared for the District 3 council seat than Dudley who has yet to review city documents in preparation for the campaign.

Plus Montanari has a proven record of consensus building, whereas Dudley only talks about fighting.

[Pablo]

Hey October 29,
Good for you for stating your opposition. That's what elections are for. You must be okay with all the overdevelopment and sweet deals developers get here in St. Pete to be okay with candidates Baker has knighted to carry on his reign. Not me.

[Jim]

James Bennett is asking to be re-elected. Our City is promoting his re-election, distributing a letter to the voters at the poll.

The fact is, he voted to approve the largest development on a single acre site downtown, Mansion by the Sea. Councilman Foster called it “a Monster on a postage stamp”. It was approved 4 -3. He voted against a neighborhood's appeal to close a proposed ingress/egress at the Shoppes at Royale. He voted to approve The Sembler Company request for additional retail/commercial land in the Tyrone area.

I voted early, for “New Election”, and not James Bennett. The fact presented by the City Clerk stated that a vote for “New Election” would cost the City residents $248,000; however, the fact of James Bennett’s voting record which could cost the City residents their priceless quality of life was not.

[Nov 3]

Hey, Oct. 29. Obviously, you want status quo but to say that Dudley has not reviewed city documents tells me that you have not heard him speak and that you have not seen his website. Do your own review of the candidates before you make those kind of statements.

Also, anyone who knows Dudley, knows how well he works with others and he won't fight just for the sake of fighting. He will speak up for the little guy. Why should we all sit back and stay with the status quo as the middle class gets priced out of the city of St. Pete?

[Pablo]

Well said, Nov. 3. Dudley's leadership experience as a teacher and coach -- dealing with teens and their parents -- far outshines his opponent's, plus his many other civic contributions. No incumbents, no mayoral endorsees, no Times endorsees.

[JIm]

Mayor Rick Baker and Goliath Davis have violated the City Charter for 6 years. Mayor Baker and Davis need to step down.Davis is still driving a police car.