Election Day Tuesday: Races in Polk, Manatee and Pinellas counties

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Parts of the Bay area will have Election Day races Tuesday, most notably the city of Lakeland.

The Lakeland mayor’s spot, along with two commission seats, will be determined on Tuesday.

In addition, municipal elections are taking place in Auburndale, Winter Haven and Fort Meade.

Meanwhile, in Manatee County, Holmes Beach residents will vote in a general election.

In the city of Seminole (Pinellas County), Mayor Leslie Waters is facing candidate Marcus Barber. Waters has served as mayor since 2013 and in various other government positions in the city since 2009.

Barber is a former city employee.

Here’s a closer look at the races:

POLK COUNTY

Lakeland Mayor

Auburndale Municipal Election (City Commission Seat 3)

Fort Meade Municipal Election (City Commission Seat 3)

• Glen R. Anderson
• Frederick Lamar Hilliard
• Jim Watts

City Commission Seat 5 At Large

In addition to the mayor and commission seats, Lakeland voters also will decide on three charter amendments:

Charter Amendment #1

Proposed charter amendment modifying Commission district boundaries to be as equal in population as practicable.

Shall the Lakeland City Charter be amended to modify City Commission district boundaries to be as equal in population as practicable consistent with State law? (Yes/No)

Charter Amendment #2

Proposed Charter amendment modifying term limits applicable to City Commissioners and Mayor.

Shall the Lakeland City Charter be amended to modify term limits applicable to City Commissioners and Mayor, other than members in office on January 1, 2020, from the current term limits of no more than 3 complete terms in any combination of the positions of Mayor and Commissioner to new term limits of no more than 3 complete terms as a Commissioner and 2 complete terms as Mayor? (Yes/No)

Charter Amendment #3

Proposed Charter amendment eliminating obsolete provisions; renumbering sections; amending other miscellaneous provisions.

Shall the Lakeland City Charter be amended to eliminate obsolete provisions; specify that mayor or commissioner elected to fill vacancy shall take office upon receiving election certificate; authorize any commissioner to call special commission meeting; require neighborhood posting of special assessment notices rather than newspaper ad; provide that ordinances subject to referendum petition shall not be suspended pending referendum and petitions shall be voted on at regular elections; conforming civil service provisions to current practices? (Yes/No)

PINELLAS COUNTY

City of Seminole Mayor Election

MANATEE COUNTY

Holmes Beach City Commission (Vote for up to Three)

• Steven Oelfke
• Jessica Patel
• Terry W. Schaefer
• Carol Soustek

Anna Maria
Commissioners John Lynch, Kathleen Morgan and Charlie Salem qualified earlier this year to run for reelection without opposition Nov. 4.

Bradenton Beach

Bradenton Beach Commissioner Jan Vosburgh will remain in her position due to no candidates vying to replace her. Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Ralph Cole and Debbie Scaccianoce will retain their seats after qualifying for reelection without competition.