Low Attendance Plagues Political Forums, Voters Left Uniformed

SPRING HILL – Despite this being one of the most controversial and hotly contested election cycles in Hernando County, most voters have been kept in the dark on when and where to meet local candidates.

There have only been a handful of political forums this year, and the last one to draw a substantial audience was the Hernando Beach Yacht Club forum held in May. Since then, there has been little to no public notice, even with Politics in the Park, the biggest event of the year.

Last night's forum, hosted by NAMI Hernando and held at Pasco Hernando State College was not unlike the others, with the majority of those in attendance being the candidates and their support team.

NAMI's Executive Director Tina Kinney moderated the event, allowing candidates to answer questions and discuss solutions related to mental health, addiction, and homelessness in the county.

Surprisingly, the only incumbent to attend last night's race was Sheriff Al Nienhuis, who many say could lose to challenger Joe Puglia, due to claims of corruption, lack of transparency, and poor leadership.

Commissioner John Allocco missed two scheduled Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) meetings and several political forums over the last few months. Sources say Allocco has been extremely ill, but others suggest that he is on the verge of losing his seat to Marvin Baynham (R) who has run a powerful campaign and gained a lot of support from the community. Burton Melaugh (NPA) and Luciano Vignali (D) are also vying for the District 3 seat.

The growing homelessness problem took center stage last night after Florida Legislators passed HB 1365, which prohibits homeless individuals from camping on city streets, sidewalks, and parks. The law was designed to allow the homeless to be placed in temporary shelters that are monitored by law enforcement, but Hernando County has very few services in place for the homeless. Candidates all agreed that the county must do what it takes to establish more shelters and services in the county through available grants and help from the community. The law goes into effect on October 1, 2024.

There are no other scheduled political events for the remainder of this election cycle, and with very little coverage by other media outlets, other than what R News provides, voters might be left flipping a coin on election day.

The primary election will be held on August 20th and voters have until July 22nd to register to vote or change party affiliation. Voters of any party affiliation can vote in open primary races, which include the race for Hernando County Sheriff and Districts 1 and 5 Commissioner seats.