8:50 p.m.

Mayor Teresa Heitmann kept her mayoral seat by a slim 12 votes in a neck-and-neck race against former Vice Mayor Gary Price. At a post-election gathering Tuesday night at Cosmos Ristorante & Pizzeria, Price said he plans to call for a recount.

Heitmann garnered 3,257 votes, while Price won 3,245 votes, according to unofficial election results with all seven precincts in the city reporting.

Council member Ted Blankenship, the third mayoral contender, won 2,044 votes, according to the final results posted by the Collier County Supervisor of Elections.

In the six-way race for three open Council seats, Bill Kramer won 4,277 votes, former Council member Linda Penniman garnered 4,160 and Berne Barton earned 3,677 votes. They edged out Tony Perez-Benitoa, who won 3,644 votes, Nicholas Del Rosso with 3,372 votes, and Garey Cooper, who trailed with 1,894 votes.

Former President Donald Trump overwhelmingly won the Republican Presidential Preference Primary, while Nikki Hailey, who backed out of the race, earned 12.9% of the vote.

8:05 p.m.

Mayor Teresa Heitmann still leads the mayoral race, with former Vice Mayor Gary Price edging up slightly in a neck-and-neck race, 3,257 to 3,245.

Council member Ted Blankenship, the third mayoral contender, is still behind with 2,044 votes, according to early results posted by the Collier County Supervisor of Elections at 8 p.m.

Early results show Bill Kramer still leading the Council race with 4,277 votes, followed by former Council member Linda Penniman with 4,160 and Berne Barton with 3,677 votes in the six-way race for three open Council seats. They’re trailed by Tony Perez-Benitoa with 3,644, Nicholas Del Rosso with 3,372 and Garey Cooper with 1,894.

The top three will win the seats in the nonpartisan race; Barton, Perez and Kramer are running on the ticket with Price, a former council member.

Former President Donald Trump has the overwhelming lead in the Republican Presidential Preference Primary, with more than 81% of the vote, followed by Nikki Hailey at 12.9% after backing out of the race.

7:55 p.m.

6 p.m.

Supporters holding signs lined 10th Street North across from Oasis Naples Church, where a steady stream of voters drove in and out throughout the day.

“It’s been consistent,” a poll worker said.

As of 5 p.m., 329 residents had cast their ballots there for city candidates and the presidential primary, making the total 812 at that precinct, including early voting numbers and provisional ballots, Supervisor of Elections numbers show.

The city of Naples has about 16,680 registered voters and the turnout has been more than 50%, according to the Supervisor of Elections website. As of 5 p.m., 3,092 city residents voted on Election Day in the seven precincts. Add to that early voting and provisional ballots, making the total 8,531 citywide.

Overall turnout in Collier County for the Republican Presidential Preference Primary has been slightly more than 27% of registered voters so far.

Outside the church, council candidate Tony Perez-Benitoa’s wife and mother-in-law held signs as cars drove by and honked. Across the street, Mayor Teresa Heitmann stood with her supporters and those supporting former Council member Linda Penniman. Just south of them stood supporters for mayoral hopeful Gary Price, a former Council member and vice mayor, and his running mates, Council candidates Perez, Berne Barton and William Kramer.

“Naples has given my family so much that I wanted to give back,” said Barton, an insurance agent who held a sign with his wife Audra, daughter Becca Bengali, son-in-law Shawn Bengali and four longtime friends. “I wanted to throw my hat into the ring to see what happens. I’m in a position to give back.”

Price was out campaigning at St. Ann Jubilee Center.

Mayor Heitmann, who spent the day visiting all precincts to greet supporters, said it’s been exciting, but she’d be happy to see this race end.

“It’s the ending of a very ugly campaign,” Heitmann said of the involvement of political action committees that spread negativity and misinformation. “This is a day to be with residents who support me the most.”

Heitmann attributes the nastiness and rumors spread by PACs to retail mogul and political activist Alfie Oakes, who years ago, when she was a Council member, vowed to raise $500,000 to bring her down after a 3½-hour hearing over a drag queen show in the city. “I said, ‘Game on,’ ” Heitmann said, adding that she believes in working peacefully with the community.

Earlier in the day, she and other mayoral candidates Price and Council member Ted Blankenship were all campaigning outside The Moorings Presbyterian Church.

She’s heard positive feedback today, she said. “It’s so nice to be in a community that appreciates all you’ve given and recognizes it. I’m excited that this will soon be over because we have a lot to do.”

If she’s elected again to another four-year term, she will serve the city for 16 years, after being on Council for eight years and taking four years off after running for mayor and losing to then-Mayor Bill Barnett in 2016. But four years later, she ran again and beat Barnett.

The Council candidates are in a six-way race for three open seats. Other Council candidates are Garey Cooper and Nicholas Del Rosso.

4:06 p.m.

More voters began trickling in at the River Park precinct after 3 p.m., when early work shifts ended.

By 3:30 p.m., there had been 97 voters all day, a poll worker said, adding, “It’s busier than normal.”

Turnout is low citywide due to the convenience of early voting and absentee ballots. River Park is the city’s historically Black community,  but there has been an increase in voter registration from newer developments such as Naples Square and Eleven Eleven Central. Residents of the older Bayfront community also vote there. 

James Whittaker, president of the newly formed River Park Association, arrived to cast his ballot for Mayor Teresa Heitmann and former council member Linda Penniman.

“Our main concern is that we get the right candidates in office,” Whittaker said, adding that it’s important for River Park to get the same infrastructure and amenities that other city neighborhoods have. “We want to be treated like all the communities. We may be smaller and not contribute as much but we’re still part of the city.”

Whittaker said he’d like to see River Park’s roads improved and potholes eliminated.

The three-way mayoral race pits incumbent Mayor Heitmann against City Councilman Ted Blankenship and Gary Price, a former councilman and vice mayor who has received higher campaign contributions and spent more than the other two.

Also running for election are six candidates for three open City Council seats: Penniman and political newcomers Berne Barton, Garey Cooper, Nicholas Del Rosso, William Kramer and Tony Perez-Benitoa. The top three vote-getters will win the nonpartisan election, which is open to all registered voters within the city limits.

12:50 p.m.

Voter turnout was sparse at River Park, the city’s traditionally Black neighborhood, and Mayor Teresa Heitmann supporters holding signs outside had no competition with other mayoral candidates.

“Does River Park not matter to them?” Heitmann volunteer Maria Mair asked, noting that no supporters for mayoral candidate Ted Blankenship, a City Council member, were at either Riverside Circle or River Park, and none were at River Park for mayoral candidate Gary Price, a former councilman and vice mayor.

Mair, who started the day holding signs at Precinct 475 on Riverside Circle, is working several two-hour shifts today to support the current mayor and Council contender Linda Penniman, a former Council member who is among six running for three open Council seats.

“This is a very important day for Naples,” Mair said of keeping the current mayor in office.

A poll worker said there had been less than 100 voters there since they opened at 7 a.m.

“It’s usually pretty slow here because of early elections and absentee ballots,” the poll worker said, declining to give her name.

Outside, Debra Tyler sat in a beach chair holding Heitmann signs. “We’ve been getting a lot of thumbs up,” Tyler said of herself and others putting in time to volunteer for Heitmann. “People are familiar with her and I think they will give her a second term.”

“We don’t have any opposition here and that’s a good sign,” she added.

Developer Kevin Stoneburner, CEO of Stoneburner Companies and owner of Naples Bayfront, cast his vote shortly before noon. He declined to say which mayoral or City Council candidates he voted for, but said he did vote for former president Donald Trump. “Who else is there?” Stoneburner asked.

Stoneburner agreed the local elections weren’t like any others before due to political action committees sending out inaccurate and negative information.

“It’s pretty disgusting to witness,” Stoneburner said. “I’ve never seen it deteriorate to that level. I don’t think they should allow PACs in local elections anymore if it’s going to be like that.”

Mair said she planned to finish her shift at noon and vote. Her husband was inside working as a poll worker. Once she eats lunch, she said, she’ll be back for her next shift.

Keep checking The Naples Press website for updates throughout the day.

9:54 a.m.

The polls opened at 7 a.m. and just 16 Royal Harbor voters had cast their votes at Precinct 475 at the City of Naples’ Utilities Administration Building before the sun rose.

Outside, Keaton Phillips and Steph Raynor, supporters of mayoral candidate Gary Price and his council ticket, held placards as residents drove in to vote or walk dogs at Baker Park, while closer to the polling site, supporters of Mayor Teresa Heitmann hoped to catch their eyes.

“It’s slow here because it’s only Royal Harbor voters,” said a Heitmann volunteer holding a sign for Heitmann and council candidate Linda Penniman. They’d only counted 16 by 7:45 a.m.

Volunteer Maria Mair, who also held a Heitmann sign, said they expect a larger turnout this year at River Park, the city’s historically Black neighborhood, where voters from Eleven Eleven Central, Naples Square and Bayfront will vote.

“Because of Naples Square, you’ll have far more voters going to River Park than there were in previous years,” Mair said, adding that there will be a push in the afternoon to get more River Park voters to the polls.

Voters declined to comment on who they cast their votes for but some gave a thumbs up while walking past the supporters holding placards outside.

It’s been one of the nastiest elections in the city’s 100-year history, candidates and residents say, because political action committees have inserted themselves into the nonpartisan mayoral race, spreading negative and false information.

The three-way race pits incumbent Mayor Heitmann against City Councilman Ted Blankenship and Price, a former councilman and vice mayor. Republican voters also are casting ballots in Florida’s Republican Presidential Preference Primary.

The heated race prompted larger campaign coffers than usual. Heitmann received $113,425 in contributions from October through March 14, and spent $63,899.01. Blankenship’s contributions total $87,571.96, with $77,560.41 in expenses but Price topped them both with $294,216.79 in political donations and $283,790.58 in expenses.

Also running for election are six candidates for three open City Council seats: former council member Linda Penniman and political newcomers Berne Barton, Garey Cooper, Nicholas Del Rosso, William Kramer and Tony Perez-Benitoa. The top three vote-getters will win the nonpartisan election, which is open to all registered voters within the city limits.

Keep checking The Naples Press for election updates throughout the day.