VERO BEACH – Less than one percent of Indian River County’s registered voters turned out Tuesday to cast ballots in a special election held to fill a vacant seat on the Indian River County Hospital District board.

In the county-wide election in which just 814 votes were cast, Eugene Feinour, former treasurer of the Indian River Medical Center Foundation, gained more votes than the other four candidates combined.  Feinour was challenged by M. Joan Hutton, Nancy Madsen, Nicholas Schaus, and Charles Searcy.

Tuesday’s election was held to fill a seat on the board left vacant by the death Sept. 3 of trustee Harry Bolwell.  Because Bolwell, who was running unopposed for a third four-year term, died after the July qualifying deadline for the Nov. 6 election, state law prevented the seat from being filled by gubernatorial appointment.

With a budget of $12 million, the Hospital District board raises as much tax as the Indian River County Commission and three times as much as the City of Vero Beach.

The district is charged with funding medical care for the county’s low-income residents.  In addition to contributing to the cost of running the county’s health department, the board assists the Visiting Nurses Association and the Treasure Coast Community Health Clinics.  The majority of the board’s $12 million budget, though, goes to reimburse Indian River Medical Center for providing indigent care.