McCarley wins Lakeland mayoral race; Election results from around the Bay area

TAMPA, Fla. — The quad of candidates vying to be the next mayor of Lakeland came down to previous political experience.

Sara Roberts McCarley, a city commissioner who was the first candidate to announce a bid, won the mayoral race with 5,970 votes (50.3%). Cedrick Valrie placed second while Kay Klymko and Kaitlin Gracie Kramer placed third and fourth, respectively.

McCarley said she plans to work alongside fellow commissioners to build on efforts toward accessibility, budget transparency and community involvement. Having served on the City Commission since 2019, she says her familiarity with city departments and local partnerships would make for a smooth transition.

In other Polk County races, Sean Levy won the Auburndale City Commission 3 seat. In Fort Meade, the City Commission 3 seat was claimed by Jim Watts and the Seat 5 post went to Candic Filyaw Lott.

Lakeland voters also decided on three charter amendments:

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?

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?

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?

In Manatee County, voters in the city of Holmes Beach elected Steven Oelfke, Jessical Patel and Terry Schaefer for City Commission.

You can find the complete results from across the Bay area here as well.