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Tag: 2020 election

Commission and mayoral seats up for grabs

Commission and mayoral seats up for grabs

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – If you’ve ever pictured yourself on the dais at Holmes Beach City Hall, your chance is coming up to qualify as a candidate, only, of course, if you’re a Holmes Beach resident.

This year’s election will see two positions coming available on the city commission, the seats held by Commissioners Pat Morton and Kim Rash. Also up for grabs is the mayoral office, currently held by Mayor Judy Titsworth.

All three positions hold two-year terms. Titsworth and Rash are completing their first terms on the dais as mayor and commissioner respectively. For Morton, November marks the end of his 17th year on the city commission.

Qualifying for all three elected positions begins at noon on June 8 and ends at noon on June 12. All candidate paperwork must be submitted to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office prior to the deadline to be considered as a candidate.

To qualify, prospective candidates must have been a resident of Holmes Beach for at least two years prior to the qualifying date and be a registered Manatee County voter. Candidates must appoint a campaign treasurer, open a campaign bank account and file the corresponding paperwork as well as a statement of candidate, candidate oath, residency affidavit and statement of financial interests. Candidates also are required to pay an election assessment fee equal to 1% of the annual salary of the office sought, $60 for commission candidates and $240 for mayoral candidates, and collect 15 petition signatures of voters also residing in the city.

Candidates also have the option to file an undue burden oath to eliminate the election assessment fee but must still collect 15 signatures from city voters.

Candidates may not accept campaign contributions until after a campaign treasurer is appointed and a campaign account is established.

All candidate information can be found online under the candidate information tab. Forms can be found online or picked up at the Supervisor of Elections Office. Candidates must submit all forms to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office at 600 301 Blvd W., Suite 108 in Bradenton prior to the deadline. No candidate forms will be accepted at Holmes Beach City Hall.

This year’s general election will be held on Nov. 3.

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WMFR logo

Two fire commission seats up for election

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

BRADENTON – If you live in the West Manatee Fire Rescue District and have ever thought about running for fire commissioner, now may be your chance.

In the Nov. 3 general election two seats on the fire commission – those now held by Commissioners Larry Jennis and Randy Cooper – will be up for grabs. Cooper has already stated that he will not be running for re-election.

WMFR’s commissioners serve four-year terms on the dais.

To qualify as a candidate, the person must be a registered Manatee County voter and reside in the WMFR district, which stretches across unincorporated Manatee County on the west, encompassing the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach, along with Cortez, Palma Sola and much of northwest Bradenton.

Though pre-qualifying papers already can be submitted to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, candidate qualifying officially begins at noon on June 8 and ends at noon on June 12. All paperwork must be submitted prior to the deadline.

Before the end of the qualifying period, all potential candidates must appoint a campaign treasurer, open a campaign bank account and file the required paperwork as well as collect the signatures of 25 registered voters who reside in the district. A fee of $0.10 is required per signature as a verification fee. If a candidate cannot pay the fee, an oath of undue burden must be filed to have the fee waived. Candidates also must file a statement of candidate, candidate oath, a statement of financial interests and either a $25 qualifying fee or certificate of petition verification.

All candidates are required to designate a campaign treasurer and open a campaign account before accepting any campaign contributions. For fire district candidates, any candidate who does not collect campaign contributions and whose only expense is the filing or signature verification fee is not required to appoint a campaign treasurer or open a campaign account. Filing fees are not required to be drawn from a campaign account.

All candidate information can be found on the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website under the candidate information tab. Forms can also be found on the website or picked up from the Supervisor of Elections Office. All paperwork must be submitted for verification to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office at 600301 Blvd W. in Bradenton prior to the qualifying deadline.

The 2020 general election will be held on Nov. 3.

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