By Suanne Thamm
Fernandina Beach wants YOU to consider running for city commission in 2024.
It’s only June 2023, yet the airwaves are already full of campaign announcements for the 2024 presidential race. Although it seems like we’ve barely recovered from the 2020 election, it’s getting to be that time for interested candidates to begin introducing themselves to the voters and raising campaign funds. If that is the situation on the national level, shouldn’t local campaigns also start ramping up?
When the current Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) changed the city election schedule to coincide with state and county primary elections, they interjected an element of confusion for the public. Their goal appears to have been to save the cost of run-off elections, which historically have very low turnouts. The change means that the qualifying date for candidates has been moved from July to May of the election year. If there are more than two candidates for any seat, that election will resemble partisan primary elections and take place in August. The top two vote-getters will then move on to the November general election.
While it is true that this change will save the cost of a run-off election, critics argue that the change will confuse the voters and result in fewer votes cast in city elections. Why? Recent history has demonstrated that the August primary consists almost exclusively of Republican candidates for office. Critics fear that voters who are not registered Republicans will think that they cannot vote in the nonpartisan city election.
Those critics must remember that school board races, also non-partisan, appear on the ballot in the August primary. The bottom line: if you receive a sample ballot, you are eligible to vote for those offices indicated on your sample ballot, which is mailed to each registered voter by the Supervisor of Elections.
In 2024, three Fernandina Beach City Commission seats are up for election: Seats 1, 2, and 3. Since three seats will be contested, 2024 could definitely be a change election. Commissioner Chip Ross, who currently holds Seat 3, is term-limited, meaning that he cannot run for re-election. The other two seats are held by Bradley Bean and David Sturges. It is unknown at this time if either or both will seek re-election.
There is still time for potential city candidates to brush up on issues, meet with city staff, follow the budget developments and get more engaged in the community. But due to the change in the election schedule, the time frame for qualifying to be on the 2024 ballot has been reduced.
Fernandina Beach City Clerk Caroline Best advises that the 2024 general election qualifying dates are May 13 – May 17, 2024. The qualifying fees: filing fee $360; election assessment fee $120. The deadline for qualifying by petition is May 2, 2024; required number of valid petitions: 115.
If you need more information about the ins and outs of qualifying, filing reports, commissioning signs, etc., contact Caroline Best at [email protected].
If you are civic-minded and concerned about the future direction of our city, you can do something about it. Put your ideas forward, and throw your hat into the ring. The voters will always seek good people to represent them.
There are so many of us who sit on the sidelines and talk about, complain about yet do nothing about what is happening in our city. Unless you want to put yourself in the line of fire, please stop perpetuating the nonsense! If you, or a family member have been in the foray, you have no idea what it’s like. Everyone wants change, and we certainly need it, but you have to get motivated to get in the running. It is not an easy task; it is not a pat on the back position, but it serves our city and who knows, maybe YOU could be the one to bring in the change that Fernandina so desperately needs! PLEASE, give it serious thought, we need your help!
Why is it that the main criticism I see is that somehow the people of this city are not smart enough to determine when they can or can’t vote? The SOE has always done an excellent job of communicating with the electorate. If you’re a voter it is incumbent upon you to determine when and where and how to vote. If somoene lacks the mental acumen to do this, then maybe they don’t need to vote.
We need as many people who still believe in the US Constitution and our Bill of Rights (Pro-America First) Candidates to run as possible otherwise we will lose our beautiful town to the snow birds moving here in droves to escape the cities they have destroyed all over the USA
Please consider running!
I’ve heard a lot of specious arguments about voter suppression but this one takes the cake.
“While it is true that this change will save the cost of a run-off election, critics argue that the change will confuse the voters and result in fewer votes cast in city elections. Why? Recent history has demonstrated that the August primary consists almost exclusively of Republican candidates for office. Critics fear that voters who are not registered Republicans will think that they cannot vote in the nonpartisan city election.”
I am Libertarian. I have no problem figuring out whether I can vote or not. What a joke.
If you’re not smart enough to know that you can vote after receiving a voter pamphlet then our community is probably better off that you don’t.
The Supervisor of elections website shows that 36% of GOP voters and 35.2% of Democrat voters … voted in the 2022 primary. It would appear Democrat voters are smarter than most of us thought … they figured out they could vote in the primary. Enough of this whining about the unfairness of moving the City primary to August. Now, independents only voted at 13.6% … perhaps if you now give them something to vote on they’ll bother to show up.