Sarasota Election: Arroyo, Clermont Vie For District 3 Seat

SARASOTA, FL — In the 2020 election, Sarasota voters will choose the winner of the Sarasota City Commission’s District 3 race. Erik “E” Arroyo and Daniel A. Clermont are vying for the role.

How to vote

As the Nov. 3 election approaches, Sarasota County voters can submit their ballots at early voting locations, at drop-off boxes and by mail. They can also vote at their local voting precinct on Election Day.

If voting in person, either early or on Nov. 3, voters must bring a current and valid ID with their name, photo and signature. Find a full list of acceptable IDs here.

Vote-by-mail ballots may be returned using the U.S. Postal Service. The return postage for a vote-by-mail ballot is two Forever stamps or $.70. They must be received by 7 p.m. Election Day. Additionally, they can be dropped off at any early voting location. Find a list of early voting locations here. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot has passed.

If you choose to vote in person on Nov. 3, you can look up your voting precinct online here. For your vote to count, you must vote in the precinct in which you reside. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Meet the candidates

Sarasota Patch recently sent out questionnaires to learn more about who these candidates are and where they stand on local issues. Though neither candidate submitted their responses, we’ve compiled some information about them.

According to his campaign website, Erik “E” Arroyo is a business, wills and trust attorney in Sarasota. He’s a first generation American raised by a single mother. He grew up in Sarasota and graduated from Riverview High School.

“I have seen Sarasota change and will fight to protect the integrity, taxpayers and resources of Sarasota. As an attorney, I frequently act as a trustee to help manage and maintain trusts financially sound. In addition, I advise business owners and sometimes have to represent them at the Sarasota City Commission. This job has allowed me to see the flaws in how the city is managed and I will use this experience to make sure to put the people of Sarasota first,” he wrote on his website.

Arroyo also promised, “I will fight to find common-sense solutions to the homeless and affordable housing situation in Sarasota, which has impacted businesses and families alike; I will fight for fiscal responsibility and be a strong steward to lower taxes and utility costs; and finally, I will fight to prioritize our infrastructure and improving traffic conditions in the city of Sarasota. If you reach out to me…promise to always listen with an attentive ear, to always tell you my reasoning behind my position, and to always vote with a deep sense of responsibility to Sarasota. The time is now to come together and fulfill our vision to improve our quality of life, to lower the crime rate, and increase public safety.”

Learn more about Arroyo at his campaign website.

Originally from Wisconsin, Daniel A. Clermont now lives in Sarasota’s Arlington Park neighborhood, according to his website. Throughout his career, he’s run and built small businesses, including an embroidery and screen-printing company, and a laboratory air quality and renovations operations.

“As a former small business owner, I've learned the value of common sense decision making and the importance of prioritizing limited resources,” he wrote on his website.

He said he’s running for commission “to bring common sense to the decision-making process at City Hall and refocus our precious resources on the core responsibilities of city governance. City government should be fiscally responsible, focus on infrastructure, preserve our parks and open spaces, support our critical arts and culture, and maintain safe and character rich neighborhoods.”

Clermont also said he’s concerned that District 3 “sometimes…gets left behind at City Hall when it comes to resources and allocations of funds.”

He added, “If elected I will fight every day to bring our tax dollars back from City Hall to District 3 so that everything from the roads and sidewalks to our public parks and playgrounds receive the funding they need and deserve.”

Learn more about Clermont at his campaign website.