A poll of 300 Wilton Manors residents suggests a city electorate that remains engaged but increasingly frustrated with political conflict, development and affordability. The survey, which is not a scientific or campaign-sponsored poll, found Julie Carson leading the mayoral field while a majority of respondents said they do not feel heard by at least some members of the city commission.

Residents surveyed placed development and affordability ahead of partisan identity and campaign rhetoric, while more than one-quarter cited political mudslinging or feeling unheard as a major influence on their candidate choice.

Carson leads mayoral preference

In the mayoral question, Carson received 48%. Paul Rolli received 36%, while Jerry Fisichelli received 1%, and 15% were undecided or did not name a candidate.

Carson’s 12-point advantage over Rolli appears to reflect a campaign environment in which voters are weighing tone as much as policy. Still, 27% of those surveyed said political mudslinging, negative campaigning, or a sense that residents were not being heard, influenced their choice. That is a warning sign for campaigns relying heavily on confrontation than on detailed proposals for city services, redevelopment and household costs.

For Rolli, the result underscores the challenge of converting a sizable base of support into a broader citywide coalition. With 15% of mayoral respondents still undecided, the race still has room to move, but the poll suggests voters may be especially resistant to messaging they view as divisive or disconnected from day-to-day concerns.

Commission Race Remains Unsettled:

The City Commission contest placed Don D’Arminio in the lead, followed by Scott Newton and Angel Burgos. Don D'Arminio is supported by his innovative development platform; Scott Newton emphasizes his family values and extensive experience; Burgos advocates for an all-gay commission; and Kalara seems to focus on utility cost management. 

• Don D’Arminio: 114 respondents, or 38%
• Scott Newton: 84 respondents, or 28%
• Angel Burgos: 57 respondents, or 19.
• Manish Kalra: 6 respondents, or 2%
• Undecided: 39 respondents, or 13%

The number of undecided respondents suggests that the commission race may still be shaped by late debates over development approvals, neighborhood character, city spending and representation.

When asked to name Wilton Manors’ most pressing issue, 57% cited development, while 42% identified affordability.

The results reflect a familiar tension for a small, high-demand urban community: residents want investment, services and economic vitality, but they also worry that accelerated development can worsen housing costs, traffic, infrastructure strain and the loss of neighborhood character.

A Representation Gap

The sharpest finding in the survey may be residents’ view of City Commission representation:

• 39%, said they feel well represented by the commission
• 52%, said they do not feel heard by some commissioners
• 9%, were unsure or did not provide a clear response

That means more than half of respondents expressed at least some dissatisfaction with how their views are reflected at City Hall. For candidates, the message is straightforward: voters appear to want less political theater and more evidence that officials are listening—particularly on development, affordability, and the practical impacts of growth.

Voter Engagement Remains High

Of the 300 residents contacted:

• 67% plan to vote in the next election
• 20% do not plan to vote
• 13%  are undecided

The poll also showed a heavily Democratic-leaning sample:

• 63% Democrats
• 15% identified as Republicans
• 22% said they had no party affiliation

Although the poll is informal and should not be read as a prediction of the final election result, the high reported interest in voting suggests municipal issues are drawing residents' attention.

Methodology: This is an unofficial survey of 300 Wilton Manors residents. No sampling method, margin of error, survey dates, question wording beyond the summaries provided, or sponsor information was supplied. The results therefore represent a limited snapshot of respondents’ views, not a scientific measure of the full electorate.