We’re off to the races.
Three Anna Maria city commission seats will be up for grabs in the Nov. 2 election.
First, would-be candidates, including incumbents, must qualify to be on the ballot.
In Anna Maria, the candidate qualifying period will begin at noon Monday, Aug. 16, and end at noon Friday, Aug. 27.
The process for qualifying starts at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, where a potential candidate must submit forms detailing the bank where a campaign account will be held and appointing a campaign treasurer, Sharon Stief told The Islander Aug. 5. She’s the supervisor of elections’ chief deputy.
Once the financial forms are filed with the SOE, candidates can open their campaign account and follow the remaining steps required to qualify.
The steps include obtaining signatures from 10 registered voters in the city, submitting an affidavit of residency and paying the $48 qualifying fee.
Stief said the fee is 1% of the $4,800 annual pay commissioners in Anna Maria receive for their two-year terms.
Both Commission Chair Carol Carter and Commissioner Jonathan Crane said they will seek reelection.
But there is not an incumbent for the third seat — held by Joe Muscatello until he resigned in June and now held by Doug Copeland, unanimously appointed to fill the role until November.
When Copeland took the seat in July, he said he would not run for the office.
If there are three or fewer candidates for the open seats, Stief said there would be no election and the candidates will automatically take office after the election.
But if there are more candidates than open seats, she said Anna Maria’s 1,025 registered voters can head to the polls to cast ballots on Nov. 2.
The deadline for voter registration is Monday, Oct. 4.
Either way, Stief said, to allow for certification of the ballots, newly elected commissioners would not begin new terms until the second Thursday after the election. This year, that will be after Nov. 11.
As of Aug. 5, Stief said no one had begun the process to qualify for the Anna Maria municipal election.
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Qualifying for elected offices in the November general election will take place in August.
Qualifying in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach is Aug. 23-27.
Offices up for election include:
Bradenton Beach: The mayoral post, currently held by John Chappie. Mayors serve two-year terms. Two commission seats for two-year terms. The seats currently are held by Jacob “Jake” Spooner and Janet E. Vosburgh.
Holmes Beach: Three city commission seats, currently held by Jim Kihm, Carol Soustek and Terry W. Schaefer. Commissioners serve two-year terms.
As of Aug. 4, the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office was reporting:
- 1,025 registered voters in Anna Maria;
- 717 registered voters in Bradenton Beach;
- 2,762 registered voters in Holmes Beach.
Election Day will be Tuesday, Nov. 2.
For more information, go online to votemanatee.com.
— Lisa Neff