Palm Beach voters will go to the polls March 24 for a special general election to fill the Florida House of Representatives District 87 seat.
Redrawn in 2022, the district runs along coastal Palm Beach County, stretching from Jupiter and Juno Beach in the north through Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, then continuing south past Lake Worth Beach to Hypoluxo and Lantana. The Town of Palm Beach is included in the district.
The District 87 seat became vacant Aug. 19 when state Rep. Mike Caruso, a Republican, was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as Palm Beach County clerk of the circuit court and comptroller.
Republican Jon Maples, a former Lake Clarke Shores council member, will face Democrat Emily Gregory, a small business owner, after both won their primaries Jan. 13.
Maples and Gregory have campaigned largely along party lines, with Maples emphasizing his support from President Donald Trump, his religious faith and gun rights, while Gregory has focused on affordability issues, health care and public education.
On her campaign website, Gregory emphasized the values guiding her run.
“Our district deserves a representative who listens, shows up, and puts people before politics,” Gregory wrote. “Extremism (does not) belong in our communities. I’m running to protect the future we want for our children, one with strong schools, safe neighborhoods, affordable healthcare, and a thriving local economy.”
In a social media post, Maples addressed his stance on gun rights.
“The attempts to infringe on our second amendment is un American, and I won’t be silent on the issue in Tallahassee,” he wrote.
Maples and Gregory won their respective primaries handily, with Maples defeating Gretchen Miller-Feng with 84% of the vote, and Gregory topping Laura Levites with 88% of the vote. About 11,500 votes were cast in total, with Maples pulling in 6,317 and Gregory getting 5,183. That’s in keeping with the slightly rightward tilt of District 87.
Maples’ campaign has leaned on his support from Trump, with the endorsement arriving just days before the primary and helping him secure a decisive victory, according to political observers.
Despite that lean, Democrats are optimistic about the race. In a statement, the Palm Beach County Democratic Party called District 87 a rare “flip opportunity.”
Seven precincts with three polling locations in Palm Beach will be open. They are Precincts 5601 and 5602 (Basilica of St. Edward Parish Hall, 165 N. County Road); Precincts 5603 and 5604 (Mandel Recreation Center, 340 Seaview Ave.); and Precincts 5605, 5607 and 5608 (South Fire-Rescue Station, 2185 S. Ocean Blvd.). Hours to vote are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voters must bring a valid photo and signature ID. A list of acceptable identification is available on the elections office website at VotePalmBeach.gov.
Voters who plan to vote by mail and have not yet returned their ballot may do so by 7 p.m. on Election Day at the main Supervisor of Elections office, 4301 Cherry Road in West Palm Beach, including its secure ballot intake station, or by 5 p.m. at any branch office, including the North County Branch Office, 3188 PGA Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens, which also has a secure ballot intake station.
Palm Beach voters must return their District 87 vote-by-mail ballot in the correct envelope, marked with a purple stripe and instructions, according to the Supervisor of Elections. Ballots placed in a municipal election envelope, marked with a yellow stripe, will not be accepted.
For a list of branch office and secure ballot intake station locations and hours, visit VotePalmBeach.gov.
Voters cannot submit vote-by-mail ballots at polling places on Election Day. Those who bring a vote-by-mail ballot may turn it in to an election worker and receive a regular ballot to cast at the polling place.
Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
Wayne is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach hims at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach residents vote March 24 for Florida House District 87
Reporting by Jodie Wagner and Wayne Washington, Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
