BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Four Bradford County political races emerged from the qualifying process last week.
The race for District 5 county commissioner will be decided in August between incumbent Diane Andrews and challenger Brian Outlaw. Both are running as Republicans, so their race will be a universal primary, open to all registered voters in District 5 to decide.
The other universal primary is for the nonpartisan school board race in District 4, where incumbent Candace Osteen has two opponents, Dana Bell and Mitchell Gunter. The three-way race will be decided in August if one candidate manages to get more than 50% of the vote. Otherwise, the top two candidates will move on to a runoff in November. Again, the vote is open to all registered voters in District 4.
There are also three candidates in the race for superintendent of schools — two Republicans and one nonpartisan. Incumbent Will Hartley and opponent Tracey Kendrick will face each other in the August primary, with only Republicans countywide deciding on their preferred candidate. The winner of the primary will then run against Alan Bhajan in November with all registered voters countywide deciding the outcome.
Headed directly to the November ballot is the District 1 race for county commission. Incumbent Carolyn Spooner is running as a Democrat, and Shannon Smith is her Republican challenger. All registered voters in District 1 will choose their commissioner.
Nearly every other office open to election this year will be filled by an unchallenged incumbent. Sheriff Gordon Smith, Clerk of Court Denny Thompson, Tax Collector Teresa Phillips, Property Appraiser Kenny Clark, Elections Supervisor Amanda Seyfang and District 3 County Commissioner Chris Dougherty will all be sworn in for four more years.
Also facing no challenge will be the next District 3 school board member, Julie Johnson. She qualified to run and was unopposed. Incumbent Cheryl Canova is retiring from this school board seat at the end of her term.
Smith is resigning from his District 3 Starke City Commission seat to run against Spooner, and taking his place on the city commission is Bob Milner. Milner was unopposed after announcing his run.
The August primary will take place on Aug. 20 and the general election is Nov. 5. Voter registration closes on July 22 for the primary and Oct. 7 for the general election.
To register to vote, go to www.votebradfordfl.gov online or www.registertovoteflorida.gov. You can also visit the supervisor of elections office.
Early voting will be available Aug. 5-18 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily for the primary and Oct. 21-Nov. 3 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily for the general election.
Visit www.votebradfordfl.gov to print a vote by mail request or go by the office. You must request a ballot by Aug. 8 for the primary and by Oct. 24 for the general election.
Update your address if necessary before election day and check your voter registration to see which voter precinct to visit if you are voting on election day. Polling locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
