Eatonville residents will decide tomorrow who will lead the historic black town for the next three years.
They will vote for a mayor and four out of five council seats.
Long-time business and homeowners who want candidates to focus on several obstacles the town has been facing for decades:
SONJA JAMES, hair salon owner: "It seems like it’s stagnant right now."
MARY RAINES, resident for over forty yeras: "There’s no work, you know? It’s not easy to get to jobs and all."
CHARLES MCKINNEY, business owner: “Family Dollar moved in not too long ago. Some of our people are working there, but I feel because of a lack of education, a lot of our younger people could not exist outside of Eatonville.”
FELIX BLACKHEART, long-time resident: "It’s the oldest black incorporated town in the United States, so there need to be more black owners. Stop letting the churches buy up all the stuff in the town where they’re not paying taxes."
SONJA JAMES: "I would love to see Eatonville have its own bank. It would love to see it have some retail. They need a subdivision or area or apartment complex where you can pull in some growth."