JUPITER, Fla. — The race for mayor of Jupiter ended in a runoff on Election Day after none of the candidates were able to secure the required 50% of votes.
The field of candidates was narrowed down from 10 candidates to two — Jim Kurteski and Ilan Kaufer. The fate of the town's highest-ranking official will be determined Tuesday.
Kuretski lives in Jupiter Shores and served as a town council member for several year. He is a project manager and said he wants to control development by challenging developers on parking spaces, tax rebates and project heights.
"We can control growth, as we have or have tried to do, and still keep it uniquely special," he said. "We're not West Palm Beach. We're not Boca (Raton). We're not (Fort) Lauderdale, and we don't want to be. The special interest money want us to be that. We don't want it."
Kaufer lives in Abacoa. He is a town council member and an environmental project manager. He said he wants to focus on historic preservation and finding compromise between developers and residents.
"I'm the only mayor candidate that has a professional background in environmental preservation, and I'm the strongest council member on public safety," Kaufer said.
Kaufer said he has the strongest environmental record and a strong record on safety.
"In the environmental realm, I'm the council member who proposed a new open space bond, as well as the town's first sustainability plan," he said.
According to the town's website, there are more than 40 pending "major" developments.
Voting locations open Tuesday at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Voters are required to cast their ballots at the designated precincts.
