District 6 candidates Kevin McGrail and John F. Cataldi Jr. gathered the most votes in Tuesday’s primary election, advancing them to November’s general election.
McGrail received 3,573 votes, or 46 percent, and Cataldi received 2,882 votes, or 37 percent. District 6 candidate Frank Antos Jr. is out of the race after receiving only 1,305 votes, or 16 percent.
The top two vote-getters in the two primary races will face each other Nov. 3.
District 1 candidates Jim Martin and Marty “Kenneth” McClain, along with the District 4 candidates, incumbent Dolores Bertolini and Chris N. Chulakes-Leetz, also will be on the ballot.
McGrail said he is very pleased with Tuesday’s results and very appreciative to all of those who voted for him.
“I feel very thankful to be the leader,” he said, adding that he is treating this as leading a football game at halftime.
“This race goes through Nov. 3, and I will be running this race through the third,” McGrail said.
“I am just so humbled,” Cataldi said “My first thank you goes out to the people who voted for me.”
McGrail said that although he is thankful for the votes he received, it is very disheartening to hear that only 7 percent of voters went out to the polls for the local election.
He said he would like to personally say thank you to all those who voted Tuesday.
“God bless every one of them because they basically determine what the other 93 percent voted for,” McGrail said.
“I am a little disappointed,” Cataldi said about the voter turnout. “I realize the job situation, along with families moving out of the Cape, might have contributed to the low turnout.”
McGrail said he hopes the other 93 percent of the voters become more informed for the general election.
“I would very much like to see a 30 (percent) to 40 percent turnout in November,” he said.
McGrail said he believes there will be enough interest for people to vote at the general election due to the other races.
Cataldi vowed to “work harder for the people” going into the general election.
He said he does not believe it is a good time to raise the millage, which is another message he plans to lean on going into the election.
Cataldi also expressed his views on taxes.
“Taxes are a big thing. People are hanging on by a thread,” he said. “It doesn’t take much to put people over the edge. A little here, a little there, all of this has a detrimental effect.”
McGrail plans on getting out there, knocking on individual doors and meeting people he has not had a chance to introduce himself to to encourage more to vote at the general election.
Many Cape Coral residents spoke out at the polls Tuesday, voicing their opinions of what they want to see happen when the new candidates enter office.
“I would like to see them use good old-fashioned common sense again,” said one resident at the polls. “There are too many people taking my money and (wasting) it away.”
He declined to provide a name.
He said he would like to see the city tighten its belts and start saving money. He added that it is time for the Cape to start changing taxes because residents are tired of paying them.
Cape resident Travis Bennett said the city needs to look to the past and practice the principles of the country’s forefathers.
“They need to stop changing what made this country great,” he said.
Bennett said he hopes whoever wins will bring new ideas to the table.
“To go forward with the same thinking is ridiculous with how the economy has changed in the past year,” he said.
“People need to step up rather than wait,” Cape resident Rose Theriot said.
She added that she hopes people will voice their opinions and vote candidates into office who will help in these bad economic times.