Before You Vote: Your Nov. 3 Ballot, Early Voting Details, and a Fall-to-Holidays Calendar
Welcome back to The Treasure Coast Insider — my every-other-week note about the good stuff of living here. This one's a little different: Election Day is just two weeks away, so the first half is a practical, nonpartisan guide to your ballot and how to vote. Then we get to the fun part — a calendar that runs from Halloween weekend to the holidays, plus a few places to eat that are on my radar.
Your Nov. 3 ballot, in plain English
Florida voters will see three statewide amendments this year, and Amendment 3 is the one most likely to land on your kitchen table. Here's where it stands:
- It would raise the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes from today's $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjust it with inflation after that.
- It would also lower the annual assessment-increase cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%.
- It needs 60% of the vote to pass.
- Recent polls haven't settled it. Results have varied widely depending on how the question is worded, and support tends to drop when voters are told what the local budget tradeoffs could be. In short: genuinely too close to call.
The other two statewide questions are lower-profile: Amendment 1 deals with the state's budget stabilization fund, and Amendment 2 with a farm equipment exemption.
Closer to home, St. Lucie County voters will see a proposal to extend the existing half-cent infrastructure sales tax for another 10 years (2029 through 2038) for roads, drainage, and sidewalks. Port St. Lucie voters will also see a nonbinding straw poll on trash pickup, and Stuart voters have a couple of Stuart-only questions. Your sample ballot on your county elections website shows exactly what you'll see.
Same disclaimer as always: I'm not telling you how to vote. Read the official ballot language, and if the outcome could change your finances, a CPA or tax pro is worth a call.
Voting early? Here's the when and where
- Vote-by-mail: requests are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 22. Confirm the deadline with your county elections office.
- St. Lucie County early voting: October 19 through October 31, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., including Sunday, October 25. Lakewood Park Library is a new early voting site this year. For the full list of sites, visit stlucievotes.gov or call 772-462-1500.
- Martin County early voting: October 21 through October 31, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at six sites: the Elections Center in Stuart, the Indiantown library (Elisabeth Lahti), Hobe Sound Library, Hoke Library in Jensen Beach, Cummings Library in Palm City, and Morgade Library in Stuart. Details are at martinvotes.gov.
- Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, with polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
On the calendar: Halloween weekend through the holidays
A few dates worth circling. Most are free, but times and details can shift, so double-check with the host before you head out:
- LYNQ or Treat at Clover Park — Friday, October 23, 5 to 9 p.m., at Clover Park (31 Piazza Dr., Port St. Lucie). It's the 7th annual trunk-or-treat, hosted by my brokerage, LYNQ Real Estate, along with the St. Lucie Mets: decorated trunks, costume contests, food trucks, a petting zoo, face painting, and more. It's free for all ages with no RSVP needed, and donations and raffle proceeds benefit DDS4VETS, a local nonprofit that trains service dogs for veterans.
- Friday Fest, Fort Pierce — Friday, November 6 and Friday, December 4, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Marina Square.
- Veterans Day Ceremony, Port St. Lucie — Wednesday, November 11, 11 a.m., at Veterans Memorial Park (2100 SE Veterans Memorial Pkwy). Seating is limited.
- River Nights at The Port District — Thursday, November 12 and Thursday, December 10, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the Event Lawn. Free to attend; food and drink are for purchase.
- Port St. Lucie International Fest — Saturday, November 21, 5 to 9 p.m., at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center.
- Turkey Trot at Tradition — Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 26, with the 5K starting at 8 a.m. It's the 9th year, registration is paid, and proceeds benefit local causes including New Horizons, the Treasure Coast Food Bank, and the St. Lucie County Education Foundation.
- Festival of Lights, Port St. Lucie — Saturday, December 5, at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center, with the Parade of Lights at 6 p.m. followed by the tree lighting and fireworks. Details are still being finalized, so check the city's website closer to the date.
- Sights & Sounds on Second, Fort Pierce — Sunday, December 6, 1 to 6 p.m., a festival and parade.
The Fork Report: what's reopened and what's coming
Fewer grand openings this month, but plenty in the pipeline. In Stuart, Philly Down South reopened October 1 with a new tiki bar menu. In Palm City, the Palm City Tap House reopened September 1 after a renovation.
On the "reported coming soon" list — no firm dates, and these can slip — are Nisi Greek Kitchen in Stuart, a second Lynora's in Port St. Lucie, Burger Daddy in the Palm City and Stuart area, and Hacienda Corona in Jensen Beach, which is aiming for early November. And at Riverland Town Center in Port St. Lucie, Pepe's Cantina has been targeting late fall or early winter.
Project check-in: Torino and the Port District
A quick update on two projects I've been following. The city's project page lists Torino Regional Park as under construction with completion estimated by December 2027. That's later than the mid-2027 estimate in earlier coverage, so I've corrected my note in Issue #3 to match.
Down on the river, the Port District food-and-drink project is also running later than first planned. The city's early schedule pointed to February 2027, but after council approved a lease amendment in April, the developer's latest estimate is a fall 2027 opening. I'll keep you posted as it gets closer.
Until next time
That's the roundup: a ballot worth reading before you vote, a calendar that carries us into the holidays, and a few tables to watch. Hurricane season runs through November 30, so keep that supply kit handy a few more weeks. As always, no listings and no pressure. If any of this has you thinking about a move, I'm one text away.
— Jonny