While most of the talk so far is about the presidential election, several Naples City Council and Collier County government seats will be on the 2020 ballot as well, and incumbents and candidates have already filed to run.
First up: Naples City Council on March 17. Mayor Bill Barnett is running for another term, as are incumbent city councilors Reg Buxton, Michelle McLeod, and Ellen Seigel. Barnett is (so far) unchallenged but eight are running for the three council seats. With the qualifying deadline 2-1/2 months away, there could be more.
In Collier County, these incumbents’ seats will be on the ballot: Commissioners Donna Fiala, Burt Saunders and William McDaniel; School Board members Stephanie Lucarelli and Erick Carter; Sheriff Kevin Rambosk; Property Appraiser Abe Skinner; Tax Collector Larry Ray; Clerk of Courts & Comptroller Crystal Kinzel; and Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards. Saunders, McDaniel, and Edwards have filed for reelection. Others are sure to follow. Five Republicans and one Democrat have filed for the open District 1 seat (Fiala isn’t running); Saunders has one NPA challenger; and McDaniel has one Republican challenger. The filing deadline is June 12; elections are August 17.
Also on the August ballot for Collier voters are seats held by Congressmen Francis Rooney and Mario Diaz-Balart; State Representatives Byron Donalds, Bob Rommel and Ana Maria Rodriguez; County Judges Rob Crown and Janeice Martin; and lots more. Donalds and Rommel have filed for reelection; Rooney announced he will not. Again, stay tuned.
I’m passionate about helping people be informed about our state and local elections. For objective, nonpartisan news and information for Collier voters, sign up for my newsletters at sparkers-soapbox.mystagingwebsite.com.