ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The three Island cities’ candidate qualifying periods closed at noon on Friday, June 12. The only contested races on Anna Maria Island will take place in Holmes Beach, where two qualified candidates seek the mayor’s seat and three qualified candidates seek the two city commission seats to be filled by the election cycle that concludes on Tuesday, Nov. 3. There are no contested races this year in Anna Maria or Bradenton Beach.
HOLMES BEACH
Incumbent City Commissioner Dan Diggins and former city commissioner David Zaccagnino will square off in the mayor’s race, seeking to fill the mayor’s seat being to be vacated by four-term mayor Judy Titsworth after the November election.
Incumbent city commissioner Carol Whitmore seeks reelection to another two-year term in and she’s being challenged by first-time candidates John Azzata and Mark Hebden. The top two vote-getters in the city commission race will claim the two commission seats.
ANNA MARIA
In Anna Maria, incumbent Mayor Mark Short and incumbent commissioners Chris Arendt and Gary McMullen will run unopposed and be awarded additional two-year terms in office.
BRADENTON BEACH
In Bradenton Beach, incumbent Ward 2 commissioner Scott Bear will run unopposed and serve another two-year term. No one qualified to run for the Ward 3 seat to be vacated by longtime commissioner Ralph Cole. After the November elections, the city commission will seek applicants and appoint someone to serve as the new Ward 3 commissioner.
