PASCO COUNTY, Florida — Take a drive around Pasco County and you'll see countless campaign signs all over for state and local races.

  • Quartet of candidates vie for Pasco County seats
  • Challengers site poverty as No. 1 issue in county
  • Incumbents point to Pasco's job growth
  • MORE: Decision 2018 Voting Guide

But the local candidates like Brandi Geoit will tell you that's a good thing.

"When we have different voices at the table, we come up with different solutions to problems,” Geoit said. 

Geoit is running for a seat on the Pasco County Commission. She and fellow Democrat Kelly Smith are both running for the first time, joining a high number of first-time female candidates across the country. 

"People are excited to have options on the ballot and change things up," Smith said. 

Both of them point to poverty as the number one issue in Pasco County.

"Certain parts of the county are doing great but you have to look at the whole county," Geoit said. "We have the fancy developments but it's important we get everybody and raise them out of poverty." 

They are running against two incumbent commissioners, Mike Moore and Mike Wells.  The two Republicans point to job growth in the county as an accomplishment they want to continue.  

"We want to make sure as many people stay in Pasco to live and work. We also want to continue to help these small businesses grow here," Moore said. 

In addition, they want to continue to make public safety a major priority. 

"The days of us fighting back and fourth are over. We've given our sheriff the tools to succeed because, quite frankly, if we don't feel safe in our homes, nothing else matters," Well said. 

BULLET POINTS ABOUT THE CANDIDATES

  • Commissioners are elected countywide but they must live in their district. 
  • Moore is the current commissioner of District 2. He has lived in Wesley Chapel for 10 years and owns a health care business. 
  • Smith is challenging for his seat, also living in Wesley Chapel for 10 years. She works for an engineering firm in Tampa. 
  • Wells is the current commissioner of District 4. He’s lived in Pasco County most of his life and is a realtor and fishing charter captain. He took a lead role in getting the state to offer scalloping in Pasco County again. 
  • Geoit is challenging for his seat and has lived in in Port Richey for 10 years. She is a social worker. 

All 4 candidates say that support and enthusiasm appears to be running high, hoping it leads to a win in November.