Links to CMF Public Media’s Voting Smart features below present additional information to help you make a more informed decision regarding your vote for local and state wide candidates as well as statewide constitutional amendments. Now through November 2, 2010 you may vote by absentee ballot or at early voting centers throughout Central Florida, or at your designated voting precinct on November 2.

Oviedo City Councilman – Candidates for Seat 4 Hear all seven candidates respond to questions from local news media in this candidate forum. The candidates are Cindy Drago, Darrell Lopez, Robert Pollack, Jr., Matthew Schwartz, Paul Sladek, Judith Delores Smith, and Robert Thrift.
Length – 01:36:54

½ Cent Sales Tax Proposal Hear arguments for and against the Seminole County school referendum to provide a ½ cent sales tax for building repairs and technology for the schools. School board chairman Sandy Robinson urges support for the proposal. Grant Maloy, founder of Six 4 Seminole, argues against the tax.
Length – 28:59

Florida Governor, Commissioner of Agriculture, Attorney General Candidates Candidates for Florida’s top political offices presented their plans for governing Florida agriculture and other key issues at the Farm Credit – Agriculture Institute of Florida Candidates.
Length – Various

Amendment 4/Hometown Democracy This initiative to require voter approval of changes to a county or city’s comprehensive land use plan is supported by Lesley Blackner, president of Florida Hometown Democracy and opposed by Ryan Houck executive director of Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy.
Length – 24:19

Fair Districting – Amendment 5 and 6 Hear a debate between two experts on proposed Amendments 5 & 6 to the Florida Constitution regarding the manner by which legislative and congressional districts in the state may be drawn. Ben Wilcox, consultant and former director of Common Cause Florida, speaks in favor. Senator-elect, from district # 22 in Central Florida, David Simmons presents the case against the amendments.
Length – 01:40:25

Seminole County School Board Candidates (Run-off District # 5) Candidates Tina Calderone and Becky Erwin answer questions on key issues in this run-off election.
Length – 22:09

Class Size Amendment #8 This amendment proposes to revise the requirements for class sizes in public schools. State Representative Scott Plakon (R), District 37, comments in favor while Seminole Education Association president Gay Parker comments in opposition.
Length – 09:31

Seminole County’s State House of Representatives From questions posed by the League of Women Voters of Seminole County, hear unedited answers from candidates running for election to the Florida House of Representatives in the districts serving Seminole County Florida — #25, 33 and 34.
Length – 56:49

Circuit Court & Seminole County Judicial Candidates Hear remarks by non-partisan candidates standing for election or reelection as judges in the 18th Circuit Court District of Florida – which includes Seminole County – and candidates for Seminole County Judge.
Length — 42:23

You may also be interested in these background features…

Non-Competitive Local Elections Commenting on non-competitive elections in Seminole County is Dr. Michael Hoover, Professor of Political Science, Seminole State College
Length – 03:48

Office of Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Voting Smart interviews Michael Ertel, Supervisor of Elections for Seminole County Florida on issues surrounding voting in the upcoming local elections.
Length – 31:20

Local Political Issues To help us sort through local issues and focus on key ones, we put together a panel of two local experts … each with a respectable collection of experience and insight — Marilyn Crotty and Michael Hoover, who describe the local issues facing the voter AND the local candidates.
Length – 23:02