Bradenton Beach mayor, commissioners all available this year
By Paul Roat
A rare political event appears to be occurring in Bradenton Beach: all
five seats on the commission may be up for grabs.
Mayor
John Chappie is finishing his last term in office due to term-limit restrictions
that force him out of his mayoral position this November. However, he
has said he will seek the Ward 4 seat on the city commission.
Ward 4 Commissioner
Bill Shearon has announced his candidacy for mayor. He would have one year before
he would need to seek re-election, so Chappie or any other challenger would fill
the vacancy for 12 months.
In Ward 1, Vice Mayor John Shaughnessy,
whose term is up in November, has announced his re-election bid, which will be
for a two-year term.
Ward 2 will have a vacancy
if Commissioner Michael Pierce files for a run for mayor against Shearon, as
he has announced, leaving his one-year-remaining post vacant. There were no applicants
for that position announced as of press time.
In Ward
3, Commission Janie Robertson has indicated she will file for re-election for
her two-year term.
Qualifying for city offices in Bradenton
Beach begins Monday, Sept. 17, and will continue until noon Friday, Sept. 21.
Bradenton
Beach is unique in the political world on Anna Maria Island as its city commissioners
must live in their respective wards, but are elected citywide. The mayoral post
is held by anyone living in the city. City commissioners in other Island cities
may live anywhere within their municipality and there are no designated wards
or districts.
Bradenton
Beach candidates must open a campaign account, from
which they must pay their filing fee for office - $96 for
mayor, $48 for commissioners. They must also have a
petition signed by at least 10 electors in the city and have been a resident
of their respective ward for at least nine months.
Qualifying paperwork
and further information is available at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., or by calling
941-778-1005.
The
election will be Nov. 6. |
