EDITORIAL: Take the time to make history

Nov. 04--Every election is historic. But the contests that culminate Tuesday night when ballots are counted, may be the biggest midterm election in many Americans' lifetimes. It's more than just a temperature check on voters' perception of a tempestuous presidency. There's a restlessness and sense of engagement in races running up and down the ballot. Races that in previous years would have been regarded as slam dunks are now firmly in the question-mark category.

There's a lot at stake. For Floridians, the state's crucial next moves will take very different directions depending on who wins the election, especially in the governor's race.

[READ: State's earlu turnout setting reccords]

Democrat Andrew Gillum wants to increase taxes on some corporate interests, using the funding to boost access to health care, increase funding for public schools and ramp up the state's fight against environmental threats like red tide and sea level rise. Republican Ron DeSantis, who until recently represented Volusia and Flagler counties in Congress, offers fewer details than Gillum, but seems firmly opposed to raising taxes and committed to courting more jobs for Florida. DeSantis is also playing up his connections to President Donald Trump in a year where many other Republicans are keeping the president at arms-length.

Voters will certainly know what they're getting when they decide between the two.

And many have made up their minds. Through early voting in person and mail ballots, turnout is already at unprecedentedly high levels for a midterm. As of Saturday evening 132,199 Volusia County voters and 36,675 Flagler County voters had already cast their ballots.

Many are predicting, on social media and elsewhere, that a large number of races have already been decided. Don't bet on it -- polling (if it's reliable) shows razor-thin margins in races people care about. and nobody knows who the sizable cadre of no-party-affiliation voters will favor. If you haven't voted yet, you still have time to make a difference. It's an opportunity you should not miss.

Subhed: RECOMMENDATIONS

The News-Journal does not endorse individual candidates for office. However, we have taken a position on the 12 constitutional amendments on Tuesday's ballot. In addition, we are recommending a "yes" vote on the New Smyrna Beach bond issue, which would not commit the city to anything but opens the door to preserve an environmentally and historically significant property on Turnbull Creek.

Here are our amendment recommendations:

*Amendment 1: No. This would carve another hole in homeowners' tax bills, but the benefit is wildly uneven. It would suck billions of tax dollars from local governments and shift the burden to landowners who are already carrying more than their fair share.

*Amendment 2: No. Florida should be working to make its tax rolls more realistic, not less. This would force property appraisers to pretend land isn't gaining significant value, even when it is.

*Amendment 3: No. This would severely restrict the Legislature's power to regulate gambling, and give tribal casinos a near-monopoly on games of chance in Florida.

*Amendment 4: Yes. This would roll back Florida's cruel voting ban for most ex-felons who have paid their debt to society.

*Amendment 5: No. This could handcuff Florida officials in times of fiscal crisis, and cripple efforts at tax reform.

*Amendment 6: No. This is the first of the "bundled" amendments -- which group wildly unrelated topics, often hiding controversial issues behind feel-good facades. This amendment could burden criminal courts with new requirements, while undermining state agencies.

*Amendment 7: No. This is another bundled amendment, and one provision could deprive Florida universities of financial flexibility.

*Amendment 9: No. Vaping and offshore drilling have nothing to do with each other, and this bundled duo should be taken up by the Legislature.

Amendment 10: No. The most deceptive of the bundled amendments, this one promises local control while actually destroying it for charter counties like Volusia County.

*Amendment 11: No. It has one promising provision, but voters should reject bundled questions.

Amendment 12: No. Florida needs ethics reform, but this goes so far that it could discourage public service.

*Amendment 13: Yes. It's time to end the archaic sport of dog racing in Florida.

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