Voting is underway in Holmes Beach.
The Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office sent out 1,184 mail-in ballots to 2,768 Holmes Beach voters as of Sept. 30, according to SEO chief deputy Sharon Stief.
On the ballot in this off-year election, voters will choose between five candidates for three city commission seats, currently filled by Commissioners Terry Schaefer, Carol Soustek and Jim Kihm.
While Schaefer and Soustek are running for reelection, Kihm declined to run, saying he had personal reasons.
Political newcomer Renee Ferguson and former Commissioners John Monetti and Pat Morton also are running for a two-year term on the commission.
The top three vote-getters will win the seats.
The ballot also will include a referendum on a proposed land swap at 104 34th St., as well as a school district referendum.
The land swap item asks: “Should the city vacate 2500 square feet of right of way that bisects located at 104 34th Street and convey and transfer such 2500 square feet to the bisected property owner in exchange for the city’s receipt of 2911 square feet of beachfront property from the property owner along with other considerations as set forth in Ordinance # 21-14?”
Property owners Jonathan and Jessica Cooper proposed in May to exchange their land along the erosion control line and pay $10,000 toward an environmental project for a section of city-owned right of way between the property and the beach.
The swap would reshape the lot so the private owners could build a new home to replace the existing structure, which encroaches on the city’s right of way.
City code requires that ordinances vacating or changing the uses of direct and indirect beach access must be approved by commission and referendum vote — and commissioners approved the item for ballot inclusion in June.
The deadline to register to vote ahead of the Nov. 2 election passed Oct. 4.
Mail-in ballots still can be requested via phone at 941-741-3823 or online at votemanatee.com.