Another year, another easy election season in Anna Maria.
Three incumbents — Mayor Dan Murphy and City Commissioners Mark Short and Deanie Sebring — are set to retain their seats as they were the only ones who qualified with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office to run for the municipality’s three available seats by the June 17 deadline.
The lack of challengers is no shocker. The city hasn’t had an election between competing candidates since 2017 and has plugged any holes on its commission by appointing replacements through commission vote.
Murphy was first elected in 2014 and has been elected without opposition in 2016, 2018, 2020 and now 2022. It will be his fifth two-year term in office.
Short was appointed to the commission in September 2019 to complete the remainder of Brian Seymour’s term. He was elected without contest to his first full term on the dais in 2020 and will start his second full two-year term in November.
Sebring was appointed by commission vote in November 2020 to serve a two-year term and will serve a second full term.
The incumbents will be sworn in to their new terms after their current terms expire.
Mayors are paid $19,600 annually.
Commissioners receive a $4,800 annual salary.
There were 968 registered voters in Anna Maria as of May 9, according to the SOE.
To learn more about the election, go to the SEO’s website, at votemanatee.com.