• Local News
  • Business & Real Estate
  • Arts & Leisure
    • Front Row
    • Food & Flavor
  • Sports
  • Tim Aten Knows
  • Public Notices
    • View Public Notices
    • Place a Public Notice
  • Obituaries
  • Subscribe
  • Login
  • Contact us
      • micro circle logo
    Site Logo
    LogIn Subscribe
    LogIn Subscribe
    • Local News
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Arts & Leisure
      • Front Row
      • Food & Flavor
    • Sports
    • Tim Aten Knows
    • Public Notices
      • View Public Notices
      • Place a Public Notice
    • Obituaries
      • Local News
      • Business & Real Estate
      • Arts & Leisure
        • Front Row
        • Food & Flavor
      • Sports
      • Tim Aten Knows
      • Public Notices
        • View Public Notices
        • Place a Public Notice
      • Obituaries
    Heitmann retains Naples mayorship by slim margin
    Local News
    19 March 2024

    Heitmann retains Naples mayorship by slim margin

    Incumbent garners 3,257 votes, while Gary Price receives 3,245 votes

    Mayor Teresa Heitmann kept her mayoral seat by a slim 12 votes in a neck-and-neck race against former Vice Mayor Gary Price.

    Heitmann garnered 3,257 votes, while Price won 3,245 votes, according to the unofficial election results from all seven city precincts. Heitmann garnered 38.1% of the vote to Price’s 37.9%. Price said he’ll demand a recount.

    Council member Ted Blankenship, the third mayoral contender, won 2,044 votes, according to the final results posted by the Collier County Supervisor of Elections.

    Heitmann, who was surrounded by more than 100 family members, friends and supporters at her Aqualane Shores home, said she was confident that once ballots are examined she’d win – and possibly garner even more votes.

    “But it was close,” Heitmann said. “Of course, it was a three-way race and could have gone any way. Even though it was close, I think our community really spoke out. They worked very hard.”

    “They were there every day, at every polling place,” she added. “We didn’t pay one person to volunteer. This was a grassroots effort. Our community really supported our campaign, our leadership, moving forward and making Naples just Naples in the perfect and simple elegance that it is.”

    Her first order of business Wednesday is to thank all her supporters and head to City Hall, where she’ll thank city staff. “This city staff is truly the heartbeat of the community so I’m going to thank them for serving the city and I look forward to working with them for the next four years on behalf of our community,” Heitmann said.

    In the six-way race for three open Council seats, Bill Kramer won 4,277 votes, former Council member Linda Penniman garnered 4,160 and Berne Barton earned 3,677 votes. They edged out Tony Perez-Benitoa, who won 3,644 votes, Nicholas Del Rosso with 3,372 votes, and Garey Cooper, who trailed with 1,894 votes.

    Former President Donald Trump overwhelmingly won the Republican Presidential Preference Primary, while Nikki Hailey, who backed out of the race, earned 12.9% of the vote.

    E-Edition

    Read the most recent edition

    Follow Us

    Residential Subscriptions

    One copy mailed weekly

    SUBSCRIBE

    Commercial Subscriptions

    Multiple copies mailed weekly to the same address

    SUBSCRIBE

    Most Read

    Dream home becomes ‘nightmare’
    Collier now
    Dream home becomes ‘nightmare’
    Homeowners hit by permit fraud still awaiting repairs by builder
    By Aisling Swift aisling.swift@naplespress.com 
    13 June 2025
    Monika and Paul Gatto purchased 2½ acres off Livingston Road five years ago and signed a contract to...
    Apartments for seniors planned on East Trail
    Main, ...
    Apartments for seniors planned on East Trail
    By Tim Aten tim.aten@naplespress.com 
    13 June 2025
    Q: We live in Naples Reserve and see that the parcel directly across 41 is now being developed after...
    Namba: What ‘dynamite’ tastes like
    Food & Flavor
    Namba: What ‘dynamite’ tastes like
    Hard work for excellent sushi and ramen
    By George Lang 
    27 June 2025
    For the high-level sushi carefully created by Chef Pitak “Koko” Hermkhunthod at Namba Ramen & Sushi,...
    New restaurants launch in East Naples
    A: Main, ...
    New restaurants launch in East Naples
    Always seeking and savoring new restaurants, the East Naples area landed some fresh and highly accessible dining spots within the last month
    By Tim Aten tim.aten@naplespress.com 
    20 June 2025
    Seventh South Waterfront It was a major move for the talented team at the former Seventh South Craft...
    Freedom to celebrate different ways
    Main
    Freedom to celebrate different ways
    Alexandra Cavalier 
    27 June 2025
    Local communities are gearing up to celebrate Independence Day with a full lineup of festivities on ...
    Public Notices Obituaries Single Issues Contact Us Upload Files Privacy Subscription Services
    Copyright © Gulfshore Life Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
    Cookie Policy