March 27, 2007

RITZ RE-ELECTED TO FKEC BOARD; HERTEL & WAGNER UNOPPOSED

David Ritz

Florida Keys Electric Cooperative announces that incumbent board President David Ritz has been re-elected for another three-year term on FKEC's Board of Directors in today's election for District 1, Key Largo. Key Largo businessman Spencer Slate opposed Ritz for the seat.

Polls were open in District 1 at the Key Largo Lion's Club at mile marker 100 and at the Ocean Reef Academy at 395 South Harbor Drive from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ritz received 642 votes and Slate received 397 votes of the total 1,039 votes cast. Ritz was re-elected according to FKEC bylaws.

Ritz was originally appointed to the board in 1999 and was elected board president in 2005.

George Hertel	Karl Wagner

In other districts, incumbents George Hertel (District 3, Islamorada) and Karl Wagner (District 4, Marathon) were unopposed and re-elected according to FKEC bylaws, which state, "in the event only one qualified member from a district is so nominated, that member shall be declared elected in which no election need be held for such office."

FKEC's Board of Directors has the authority to establish policies and review operational procedures to promote a progressive, financially sound utility. The Board has nine seats, and each director must be a member in his or her voting district. Directors must be nominated and elected by their home district's members according to FKEC bylaws.