Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
March 8, 2017 12:59 p.m.
The Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) has set the dates for qualifying for the city’s November 7, 2017 General Election. At their March 7, 2017 Regular Meeting the FBCC on a 3-2 vote approved Resolution 2017-37, which officially set the date for the election and established the qualifying period as July 10-14, 2017.
Commissioners seemed puzzled as to why the qualifying period, which had occurred during the first week of August in the 2016 elections, had been moved back to July.
City Clerk Caroline Best reminded commissioners that the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections (SOE) has been contracted to run city elections. The city must work with the SOE’s timeline, which allows for mailing overseas ballots, testing equipment, etc. She reminded commissioners that candidates may announce at any time and begin campaigning after filing, but that the Qualifying Period is the time frame in which certain paperwork must be filed. The date for submitting petitions in lieu of filing fee has been moved back to noon on June 12, 2017.
Although the motion to approve the dates passed, both Commissioners Tim Poynter and Roy Smith voted against the action, pending further clarification as to why the petition and qualifying dates had been moved back from the August time frame of the previous year.
This year marks the last off year election for the city of Fernandina Beach, as a result of voter-approved change in commissioner term length from 3 to 4 years. While last year’s election was the first to seat a commissioner for a 4-year term (John Miller), candidates in city elections this year will compete for the last 3-year terms. The reason for this is two-fold: incumbent commissioners Robin Lentz and Tim Poynter were in office when the FBCC voted to place the measure expanding term length on the ballot; and the final 3-year terms allow the commission to more quickly move to the even-year election cycle reflecting county, state and federal elections.
Beginning in 2018, all city commissioners will be elected to 4-year terms in even-numbered years to coincide with state and federal election cycles. In 2018, elections will be held for Groups 4 and 5, currently held by Vice Mayor Len Kreger and Commissioner Roy Smith. In 2020, elections will be held for 3 seats: Groups 1, 2 and 3.
Seats for Groups 2 and 3, currently held by Mayor Robin Lentz and Commissioner Tim Poynter, will be contested in the 2017 election. To date, no candidate has filed for the 2017 city commission election.
Editor’s Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne’s many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.