All votes tallied: Winger and Graves elected to Vero council

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11 years ago

VERO BEACH — With all votes counted, incumbent Councilman Dick Winger and challenger Amelia Graves have won the race for two Vero Beach City Council seats.

Councilman Winger, who received 2,044 votes, was the favorite to win Tuesday’s election as he began campaigning early in the year, raising $10,000 by early July to market his candidacy.

“This is your victory, not mine,” Winger said, addressing about 75 supporters who gathered to watch returns at his home.

His motto, “Keep Our Vero, Vero” seemed to resonate with voters concerned about maintaining the quality of life in the city.

“I think he cares deeply for this city,” said Winger supporter Linda Pillpott. “(This victory) is terrific and I think his focus of wanting to keep Vero Vero is terrific.”

Graves, who received 1,631 votes, had a solid grassroots effort with a good number of volunteers walking neighborhoods and waving signs at the polls. Graves celebrated with about 75 mostly youthful supporters at The Grove Bar in historic downtown Vero, but declined to comment on her victory.

Incumbent Vice Mayor Tracy Carroll, who received 961 votes, faced an aggressive challenge by Graves, plus vocal opposition from former councilman Brian Heady, who got 747 votes.

When it was evident at Carroll’s watch party at Vinz wine bar on the barrier island that she’d been unseated, Carroll’s husband John thanked supporters for all of the work, and former Vero councilman and Carroll fan Charlie Wilson made a toast: “To Tracy and everything she has sacrificed on behalf of Vero Beach.”

Heady watched returns from home, enjoying a turkey dinner as an early Thanksgiving while his daughter was home from out of town. Asked what he will do to continue his civic activism: “I’ve been involved 20 years, and I’ve only been in office two.”

Newcomer Joseph Guffanti, who got 207 votes, did not collect donations or promote his candidacy, but he did attend several candidate forums and interviews with endorsing groups.

Is Guffanti glad he ran for office? “Absolutely. It was a very interesting situation,” he said.

“I didn’t really run an active campaign. I don’t know who the people are who voted me. I know a couple of formidable people who told me they’re going to vote for me , and I believe them. If I’d run for office 20 years ago, I could have won.”

Guffanti said asking for votes lured him out of his comfort zone, that pressing the flesh didn’t come naturally.

“I’ve become more or less a social recluse. I went to Downtown Friday because Brian Heady said he was going to be there. I stood there for 10 minutes and felt like a fish out of water so I left.”

Former mayor Warren Winchester dropped out of the race weeks ago for health reasons, but he managed to end up with 89 votes. More than 100 absentee ballots had already been mailed back to Supervisor of Elections Leslie Swan when Winchester exited.

Both Winger and Graves were endorsed by the Indian River Neighborhood Association and the Coastal Police Benevolent Association in early October.

Honey Minuse, a leader of the IRNA raised a glass high as she came over to Winger at his party. “You did it! Wow!” Minuse exclaimed.

“Yes, it’s over!” cheered Winger’s wife, Bobbie Winger.

Swan said there were no snags with equipment or with people during Tuesday’s election.

“Everything has gone as planned today. Wonderfully smooth day. Great poll workers and great staff,” she said.

Staff writers Michelle Genz, Meg Laughlin, Eileen Kelley and Mary Schenkel contributed to this report.