FORT PIERCE – The City of Fort Pierce has approved paying the St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections to cover the costs of everything from poll workers and renting precincts to ballots and security for the city’s Nov. 4 special election in District 2.

The estimate okayed Monday by the Fort Pierce City Commission was for $60,000.

However, final costs for balloting that’s handled by the county will be tallied following the election and could result in a partial refund or an additional billing, depending upon the final total.

Early voting is set for Oct. 25 through Nov. 1.

Three candidates are running for the seat that was vacated when former commissioner James Taylor III resigned after his arrest on multiple counts of online exploitation of an Illinois minor.

Taylor has been released on bond and pleaded not guilty.. No trial court date has been set yet.

Candidates seeking to fill the three years remaining in Taylor’s term are Donna Diehl Benton, of 1365 Bayshore Dr.; Chris Dzadovsky, of 1002 Jamaica Ave.; and Jaimebeth Galinis, of 1710 Plover Ave.

Registered voters who are residents of District 2 will choose among the three on Nov. 4. If a single candidate receives a simple majority of the votes cast Nov. 4, they will be elected. If not, the top two vote-getters will advance to face off Jan. 13 where the winner will join the city commission for the three years remaining in Taylor’s original term.

Benton, a real estate agent and property manager, was a Fort Pierce mayoral candidate in 2020 but was defeated by incumbent mayor, Linda Hudson. Her husband, Robert Benton III, was a former Fort Pierce mayor.

Dzadovsky is a real estate sales person and former four-term St. Lucie County commissioner. He had unsuccessfully applied for the position of Fort Pierce city manager earlier this year, after the former manager, Nicholas Mimms, was terminated following charges of bid rigging and official misconduct.

Galinis, is senior director of customer experience and operations for a medical technology company. She also is vice president of the Fort Pierce South Beach Property Owners and Business Association.

Eight voting precinct locations will be open for election day voting Nov. 4. They are:

• Precinct 8.1: Midway Road Church of Christ, 3040 W. Midway Road.

• Precincts 10.0 and 13.1: Havert L. Fenn Center, 2000 Virginia Ave.

• Precinct 12.1: Fort Pierce Masonic Lodge, 4590 Oleander Ave.

• Precinct 16.1: Westside Church, formerly Chapel By The Sea, 1717 Gulfstream Ave.

• Precinct 25.1: Days Inn, 3224 S. U.S. 1.

• Precincts 28.4 and 28.5: Renaissance Business Park Entrance 3, 4132 Okeechobee Road.

• Precinct 40.1: All Generations Church, formerly Church of God, 3212 Oleander Ave.

• Precinct 60.2: St. Lucie School, 2501 N. Old Dixie Highway.