Election season is nearing and the terms of three officials are up for grabs in Anna Maria.
But any newcomers will have to compete with the incumbents.
Commissioners Christopher Arendt and Gary McMullen, as well as Mayor Mark Short, told The Islander May 21 that they will seek new two-year terms in the Nov. 3 general election.
According to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office’s website, votemanatee.gov, Arendt and Short submitted qualification documents as of May 22.
People interested in running can begin the qualification process now, as the city’s optional prequalifying period began May 26 and will end Friday, May 29.
The official qualifying period will begin at noon on Monday, June 1, and close at noon on Friday, June 12.
Candidates must be city residents for at least two years and must file forms with the SEO, including an affidavit of undue burden or pay the SEO an election assessment fee equivalent to 1% of the sought position’s annual salary, which is $4,800 for commissioners and $19,600 for mayors.
Short was a member of the city’s 2019 charter review committee before being appointed to the commission the same year.
He was reelected without opposition in 2020 and 2022, then elected mayor in 2024.
If Short is reelected in November, he will serve his second full term as mayor.
He told The Islander May 21 that he believes the city has made “tremendous progress” since the 2024 hurricanes and hopes to see continued improvements.
“There’s been significant improvements made to the back office and how the city operates,” Short said. “I hope to continue down the path of making the city more operationally efficient.”
Arendt was the chair of the 2024 charter review committee and was elected without opposition to the city commission later the same year.
If he wins his reelection bid, he will serve his second two-year term on the commission.
“I love our city. I think it’s a very special place, and I love it so much I don’t want to leave its fate to chance,” Arendt told The Islander May 21. “And I really enjoy it.”
He added that there was unfinished business he wanted to see through to completion, such as the Pine Avenue improvement project and construction on the Anna Maria City Pier.
McMullen was appointed to the city commission in January 2024 and elected later the same year to continue serving on the board. He will serve a second full term if he is reelected in November.
He told The Islander May 21 that he also wanted to see work on the city pier through to completion, as well as pursue improvements for pedestrian safety throughout the municipality, especially on Pine Avenue.
“I’d like to make it safer,” McMullen said. “People just walk on the street. I can’t stand it.”
People can learn more about the election and the process to qualify by visiting votemanatee.gov.