BY LAURA EDWINS

On Tuesday, voters in Cutler Bay elected a member of their town council.

Sue Ellen Loyzelle keeps the town council District Seat 2, beating William “Chuck” Barrentine with just under 54 percent of the vote.

Loyzelle, who was first appointed to the town council in November, said she was thrilled with the support she had received from residents in Cutler Bay, and ready to continue her work on the council.

“It feels great,” she said. “I appreciate people in the community believing me.”

Though some voters on Tuesday seemed more concerned with the county mayor’s race than the special election in Cutler Bay, 2,828 votes were cast in the town council race. Loyzelle walked away with 1,514 and Barrentine received 1,314.

Cutler Bay resident Miguel Orihuela, who has lived in the area for 15 years, said he turned out at the polls only expecting to cast a ballot in the Miami-Dade mayor’s race.

“I was interested in the mayor’s race,” Orihuela said. “I didn’t even know I had to vote for town council.”

But on election day, voters like Orihuela seemed to be in the minority.

Some voters were on a first-name basis with the municipal candidates.

“I voted for her because I know Sue Ellen,” said Eugene Rees, who has lived in Cutler Bay for two years.

Both Loyzelle and Barrentine said they received a lot of public support.

“Voter turnout was actually higher than what I thought it was going to be,” Barrentine said. “I honestly think the mayor’s race got more people out to vote.”

Voter turnout in Cutler Bay was 14 percent, compared to 16 percent countywide.

Loyzelle took office last year when then-councilman Ernie Sochin was appointed vice mayor, leaving the District 2 seat open.

Loyzelle said she only heard one person say they didn’t know there was an election going on in Cutler Bay. Both candidates said they worked hard to familiarize residents with their names and platforms.

“I did a lot of walking door to door, and a lot of personal phone calls and I think that paid off, and people really appreciated it,” said Loyzelle, who spent over $8,000 on her campaign.

Barrentine, 49, manages commercial warehouses. He spent just over $4,000, met with groups like the Concerned Citizens of Cutler Bay and Voices of Cutler Bay, to hear their thoughts on how the town council could be improved. He said the complaint he heard most often was that the town council isn’t receptive to residents.

“Really what we need is to get more residents involved,” he said. “I met a lot of people that have good ideas but they don’t get involved because they don’t think the council listens to the residents.”

Loyzelle said communication between the council and the residents has been a problem in the past, but that it’s something she hopes to work on.

“I’m a positive person,” she said. “I think that the community is really going to enjoy me and enjoy what I’m going to bring to the table.”

Loyzelle, 50, is the grants director for the YMCA of Greater Miami. She has lived in the Cutler Bay area for about 18 years.