Who is the new face on the city council?

The Fort Myers City Council has a new member, and one incumbent barely squeezed in to keep his seat.

Architect Diana Giraldo won the 14,605-person District 2 race to replace retiring Councilman Johnny Streets. She received 2,388, or 56.03% of the vote, compared to Jacqueline McMiller’s 1,874, or 43.97%.

In Ward 4, current president Liston “Lin” Bochette retained her seat by a margin of 62 votes, with 2,406 votes, or 50.65%, compared to challenger Cindy Banyai’s 2,344 votes: 49.35%.

Registered voters in their districts elect nonpartisan council members who serve four-year terms and earn $47,0300 a year: a $32,630 salary plus a $14,400 stipend.

➤Lee County 2024 Election Results

Fort Myers Council District 2: Diana Giraldo vs. Jacqueline McMiller

The Giraldo Race is over second round after primary elections because no one got more than 50% of the votes, although candidate Giraldo was close with 48.97% of the non-partisan votes.

Businesswoman and social activist McMiller scored 27.58%. Shanetta Campbell-Brunson received 23.45% of the vote, but a runoff will be between the top two vote-getters.

Giraldo and McMiller were competing to replace long-serving Councilman Johnny Streets, who is retiring.

Fort Myers Ward 2 Two public advocates, an architect and a businesswoman, are competing in the runoff election for City Council.

Giraldo campaigned on prioritizing infrastructure and economic growth.

Encompassing much of the historic Black Dunbar area, Ward 2 extends into the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and includes the Forum and the area around Top Golf. As of 2020, its population was 14,605 ​​(entire city 97,711), 47% white and 20% black, with a median age of 36.3 years.

Fort Myers Council Ward 4: Cindy Bagnay vs. Lyn Bochette

Athlete, artist, educator and community activist Liston (Lin) Bochette III successfully defended the position he has held since 2018. Appointed after Councilman Mike Flanders left to lead Edison & Ford Winter Estates, a seat Bochette won in 2020.

Challenger and FGCU instructor Banyai had not run for council before, but was still an experienced candidate, having twice battled Byron Donalds for the 19th Congressional District seat.

Fort Myers Ward 4 Artist/teacher turned Olympian faces fighter turned instructor/activist in city council election

Bochette’s campaign focused on preserving the city’s historic assets, adding parks and green space, improving the city’s water and sewer infrastructure and saving taxpayers money.

Ward 4 runs along the Caloosahatchee and includes much of the historic downtown River District, as well as the iconic palm-lined Royal MacGregor Boulevard and the surrounding corridor. The average age of the ward is 47.7 years old, making him the oldest in the city.

This article originally appeared in the Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers City Council Election: Giraldo wins District 2, Bochette District wins 4