By Dale M. King
BOCA RATON – Residents of Florida’s 19th congressional district – including the greater Boca Raton area and northern Broward County – will soon elect their first new U.S. representative in more than a decade.
Robert Wexler
Four candidates are seeking the seat given up in January by former U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, who has served in that position since 1997. He notified Gov. Charlie Crist late last year that he would step down from the job Jan. 3 to become president of the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation, based in Washington, D.C.
The seat has been vacant since then.
And while Tuesday, April 13, is actually Election Day for the choice of a new congressman, the supervisors of elections in Palm Beach and Broward counties have set up early voting locations that will be open daily through Sunday, April 11.
In the running for Wexler’s seat are Democratic State Sen. Ted Deutch, Republican Ed Lynch (who ran a distant second to Wexler in the 2008 race); Jim McCormick, a candidate with no party affiliation and one write-in candidate, Josue Larose.
Early voting began this past Monday for next week’s special congressional election. Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at three sites in Palm Beach County:
- The main county elections office at 240 S. Military Trail west of West Palm Beach.
- The West Boca Branch Library at 18685 State Road 7 (U.S. 441) west of Boca Raton.
- The Hagen Ranch Road Branch Library at 14350 Hagen Ranch Road west of Delray Beach.
Voters should bring a photo identification that includes a signature to the polls. For additional information, call 561-656-6200 or visit www.pbcelections.org
In Broward County, two early voting spots have been set up, in Coral Springs and Coconut Creek.
On April 13, voters will cast ballots at their regular polling places, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
State Sen. Deutch, who received Wexler’s endorsement, is perhaps best known for pushing through the state legislature the nation’s first law divesting state pension funds from companies investing in Iranian nuclear weapons or the genocide in Darfur. Last year, he passed legislation aimed at reducing youth smoking and fund up to $1 billion in critical health care programs.
In Washington, he said, he will push for mortgage reform “to help families and seniors avoid foreclosure.” He said he will also fight to save Social Security increases to help seniors deal with cost of living hikes.
Lynch said he will fight for “fiscal discipline” and no government bailouts. “Government and big business need to work within their means,” he said.
The GOP candidate also wants to secure the U.S. borders against illegal immigrants and to work for energy independence “by using all of America’s resources.”
Lynch and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for 15 years, have two children and live in West Palm Beach. Deutch and his wife, Jill, have twin 14-year-old daughters and an 11-year-old son, and live in Boca Raton.