PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — The CBS12 News I-Team has been closely following Port St. Lucie’s election cycle, as there are two headline stories playing out and the future of the city is at stake.

Leadership and trash are the hot-button items.

On the first day of early voting in St. Lucie County, our crew visited a polling location on Rosser Blvd.

We found two tents, side by side.

In them, two candidates for mayor– with such a rift between them– the race feels like a war.

The incumbent, Shannon Martin, is running to stay in office, and she says the city needs to stay on its current course. She points to how she has prioritized infrastructure repairs, like roadwork, as a reason to keep her in City Hall.

Her opponent, Steven Giordano, says City Hall is corrupt and has lost touch with everyday people. When pressed on specific things he’d do differently– he also wanted to talk about roadwork and says the city needs a new traffic study.

See also: Martin County airport committee to review overnight flights and noise concerns

Mayors serve four-year terms and wield significant influence in the mayor-council form of government. But trash collection is another issue getting people fired up: Should the city switch to twice-a-week pickup? FCC is the company that handles garbage collection in Port St. Lucie.

“I don’t want to pay for something I don’t need,” said resident Rob Buske.

Buske is making a point we have seldom heard while covering trash in the city.

At many recent city council meetings, members of the public have hurled angry comments at city leaders, saying the trash pickup is sub-par. They’ve demanded an additional collection day.

Ironic, then, that on the first day of early voting, everyone we asked for comment said they’d rather keep what they’ve got.

The ballot question about trash collection isn’t binding; it’s simply a way to poll the residents.

The council might or might not go with whatever the majority of voters say.

A second pick-up day would cost residents more than a hundred bucks a year, but some are adamant it’s necessary.

As this story comes to air and online, the election is less than 2 weeks away.

Candidates for Mayor do not declare a party, and trash is a non-party matter.

Here it’s not Republicans vs. Democrats, but it’s somehow more personal, more granular, while also being big-picture. When can my garbage go to the curb? Who will be in charge of the city and what’s their vision?

The people are about to decide.