Naples election: Recount confirms wins for Heitmann in mayor race and Barton for council

A machine recount has confirmed incumbent Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann's election victory over challenger Gary Price.

Heitmann eked out a victory over Price, a former city council member, by just 22 of the more than 8,500 votes cast in the mayoral race. She won 38.17 percent of the vote in total, a 0.26 percent margin over Price.

Council member Ted Blankenship, who won the endorsement of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee, came in third in the mayoral race with 23.92 percent of the vote.

State law automatically requires a recount when the margin is less than or equal to 0.5% of the total votes. If the margin is 0.25% or less, a hand recount is also required.

In the race for last open city council seat, a hand recount confirmed that Berne Barton defeated Tony Perez-Benitoa by 0.16 percent of the vote. Both Barton and Perez-Benitoa were endorsed by Price.

Barton claimed 17.49 percent of the vote in total. Bill Kramer and Linda Penniman won the other two open seats, with 20.33 percent and 19.79 percent of the vote, respectively.

The election results are seen as critical, as city leaders are set to make big decisions over the next few years on everything from the funding for the rebuilding of the Naples Pier and the construction of a new coastal stormwater system to the future development of the Four Corners and the "Miracle Mile," a hard-hit stretch of Gulf Shore Boulevard North that's seeing a renewal in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

Much of the campaigning in the election centered around growth and development, with the word "overdevelopment" often bantered about, as a threat to the city's small-town charm.

Reporters Laura Layden and Liz Freeman contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples election: Recount confirms Heitmann's victory, Barton wins seat