BRADENTON BEACH – Two Bradenton Beach City Commission seats will be filled during the upcoming city election cycle, with one commissioner saying he will not run again and the other saying he has not yet decided.
During the May 21 city commission meeting, Ward 3 Commissioner Ralph Cole said he will not run again.
“I have things I really want to do with my family,” Cole said. “This should give someone plenty of time to step up. I didn’t want to wait until the last minute and say, ‘I’m not going to do it,’ so hopefully somebody steps up.”
Cole, a longtime city commissioner, also previously served for many years as the chair of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
When contacted on May 23, Ward 2 Commissioner Scott Bear said he has the necessary qualifying paperwork and is “strongly considering” running again, but he has not yet made his decision. Bear has been a city commissioner since 2024. He also currently serves as the CRA chair.
Bradenton Beach is the only city on Anna Maria Island that utilizes geographically based commission wards that require commission candidates to live in the commission ward in which they wish to run.
If no candidates run for a specific ward seat, the seat is to be later be filled by commission appointment. In that instance, the commission would initially seek applicants from residents who live in the ward needing representation. If no ward residents apply, the commission would then seek applicants citywide.
The one-week Bradenton Beach candidate qualifying period begins at noon on Monday, June 8, and ends at noon on Friday, June 12. The pre-qualifying paperwork filing period is May 26 through June 6. For more candidate qualifying information visit the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office website. at VoteManatee.gov.
