JUNO BEACH, Fla. — Residents of Juno Beach are casting ballots Tuesday in a municipal election featuring two council seats and a mayoral race, with development emerging as the defining issue driving higher-than-expected voter turnout.
Across Palm Beach County, development has become a top concern for many residents as new projects continue to reshape the area. That same debate is playing out in the small coastal town of Juno Beach, where poll workers said turnout was higher than they anticipated — unusual for a municipal election.
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Douglas Armstrong said the growth is noticeable.
"It's a big issue. It's getting really ugly, crowded," Armstrong said.
Another voter summed up the sentiment many residents share.
"We like to keep our little Juno Beach, little Juno Beach," the voter said.
One development proposal that has sparked debate is the Caretta project, planned near U.S. Route 1 and Donald Ross Road. Supporters say projects like it can bring new investment to the area, while critics worry they could change the character of the small beachside community.
The town of fewer than 4,000 residents is voting to fill two council seats and choose between Elaine Cotronakis and Dave Santilli for mayor.
Cotronakis spoke to her priorities if elected.
"We're going to be faced with redevelopment in our community. And I want to make sure that whatever projects come before us, there come as quality, and, you know, not burden our citizens with traffic and density," Cotronakis said.
Santilli echoed concerns about preserving what makes the town unique.
"We citizens chose this town because it has a certain character, redeveloping it to all high-density residential it would completely lose its character. We would like to preserve some semblance of a beach town," Santilli said.
With nearby communities like Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter continuing to grow rapidly, many voters say the question is how much change Juno Beach should allow.
One voter made clear what brought her to the polls.
"We'd really like to keep it small and intimate and pleasant," the voter said.
When asked if that's why she came out to vote, her answer was simple.
"That's why I'm here," she said.
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