ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Bradenton Beach voters have eliminated the term limits that previously applied to the city’s mayor and city commissioners.
Bradenton Beach’s registered voters supported three other amendments to the city charter and rejected one proposed amendment.
Election results
U.S. Senator – Marco Rubio
U.S. House District 16 – Vern Buchanan
Florida Governor – Ron DeSantis
Attorney General – Ashley Moody
Chief Financial Officer – Jimmy Patronis
Commissioner of Agriculture – Wilton Simpson
State House District 70 – Mike Beltran
State House District 72 – Tommy Gregory
Manatee County Commissioner District 2 – Amanda Ballard
Manatee County Commissioner District 4 – Michael Rahn
Manatee County Commissioner At-Large – Jason Bearden
According to the unofficial election results posted at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office website Tuesday evening, 213 voters (51.08%) supported eliminating term limits and 204 voters (49.92 %) opposed doing so.
The term limits previously set forth in the city charter limited elected officials to serving three consecutive two-year terms in the same elected office.
Eliminating term limits allows incumbent Ward 2 City Commissioner Marilyn Maro, who ran unopposed in the election, to serve a fourth consecutive term in office. Had voters retained term limits, Maro would not have been allowed to serve another consecutive term and would have term-limited out of office.
Running unopposed, and not impacted by the term limit vote, Ward 4 Commissioner Ralph Cole also earned another two-year term in office.
Eliminating term limits would have also resulted in Mayor John Chappie and Ward 1 Commissioner Jake Spooner term-limiting out of office in November 2023 after the completion of their current terms.
Bradenton Beach was the only city on Anna Maria Island that had term limits.
Maro and Cole will be sworn in to their next terms on Monday, Nov. 21 at 10 a.m.
Additional charter questions
Bradenton Beach voters supported charter amendment question 2, which read as follows: “The current city charter requires a ward commissioner to reside in the ward they represent. Should the city amend its charter to establish a procedure to temporarily fill the ward seat for one term with an at-large commissioner if no ward resident is available or willing to run for office?”
According to the unofficial election results, 226 voters ( 54.46%) supported charter amendment 2 and 189 voters (45.54 %) opposed it.
The election results now allow the commission to fill a short-term vacancy with an appointee that lives anywhere in the city.
Voters rejected ballot question 3, which read as follows: “The current city charter requires the city to provide a special election to fill a vacancy that results in more than six months from a resignation required by Section 99.012, Florida Statutes. Should the charter be amended to allow for all vacancies to be appointed by the city commission?”
According to the unofficial election results, 253 voters (61.26%) opposed this proposed charter amendment and 160 voters (38.74%) supported it.
Retaining this charter provision means the city must continue to hold a special election to fill any commission seat being vacated for more than six months.
By a one-vote margin, Bradenton Beach voters supported charter amendment question 1, which read as follows: “Currently the city charter vests authority in three arbitrators to hold forfeiture of office proceedings against an elected official with costs to be borne by the city. Should the city revise its charter to eliminate the three arbitrator-panel procedure and replace it with the former forfeiture provision utilizing the city commission to conduct the proceedings?”
According to the unofficial election results, 206 voters (50.12%) voters supported this charter amendment and 205 voters (49.88 %) opposed it.
The results mean the city commission can now initiate forfeiture of office proceedings against a sitting commission member without using outside arbitrators. Removing an elected official from office still requires the majority support of the city’s registered voters.
Logistical in nature, charter amendment 5 pertained to commission actions that require a city ordinance. The ballot question read as follows: “Currently the city charter sets forth actions requiring an ordinance. Should the city amend the charter to remove employee personnel benefits and procedures from this section and require actions of the city regarding employee personnel benefits and procedures to be adopted in a public meeting through a resolution of the commission?”
According to the unofficial election results, 237 voters (59.10%) voters this charter amendment and 164 voters (40.9%) opposed it. Approval of this amendment streamlines the manner in which city employee benefits and employee procedures are addressed by the commission.
The charter amendments were proposed earlier this summer by the city commission-appointed charter review committee that was guided in its review process by City Attorney Ricinda Perry. The city commission then unanimously supported placing the five committee-recommended charter amendment questions on the ballot.
Anna Maria
Running unopposed, incumbent Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and incumbent city commissioners Deanie Sebring and Mark Short earned additional two-year terms in office. The trio will be sworn in during the commission’s organization meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 1:30 p.m.
Holmes Beach
Running unopposed, first-time candidates Dan Diggins and Greg Kerchner won seats on the Holmes Beach City Commission. Incumbent Commissioner Kim Rash did not seek reelection and incumbent Commissioner Jayne Christenson withdrew from the race after she qualified to seek reelection. Diggins and Kerchner are to be sworn in Wednesday morning, Nov. 9.
