Another local 2016 election update (corrected)

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm

Reporter - News Analyst

April 11, 2016 11:11 a.m.

(Corrected April 13, 2016.  See note following article.)

As the national level political primaries grind on, there is some movement on Nassau County races as well.  At least one more election has drawn Republican competition:  Ocean Highway and Port Authority District 1, in which both former Fernandina Beach City Commissioner Pat Gass and former candidate for Fernandina Beach City Commission Ed Coop have filed to run. Also, informed sources have reported that another Republican will soon file to run for Nassau County Commission, District 1 to oppose incumbent Republican commissioner Danny Leeper.

Voter registration by party in Nassau County is broken down below:

As of this date, unless you are a registered Republican, you will have no effective say in the following county races:

Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller

Nassau County Commissioner District 5

School Superintendent

As you can see from the chart above, taken from the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections website on April 11, 2016, third party or no-party candidates have filed to run in the following elections, meaning that whoever wins the Republican Primary in August will technically have an opponent in the November election:

Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller

Sheriff

Superintendent of Schools

County Commission, District 5

But historically such candidates pull in few votes. Their odds of beating Republican candidates in a strongly Republican county are slim. That is, assuming that such candidates are serious contenders and not just filing to block non-Republicans from voting in the Primary election. If they are “straw candidates,” they generally withdraw from the race following the primary.

No one has yet filed seeking the nonpartisan offices of Amelia Island Mosquito Control Group 1; Heron Isles Community Development District Seats 1, 3 and5; and Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, Groups 2 and 4.

In order to appear on the 2016 ballot, a candidate must qualify between noon on June 20 and noon June 24. There are different qualifications for the various positions. Generally speaking, they include executing an oath, filing an ethics and financial statement, paying a filing fee or submitting valid petitions. Those interested in learning more about running for a specific position should visit www.votenassau.com and consult the Candidate Information Sheets available there.

NOTE:  Alert reader Joe Zimmerman contacted the author to advise correctly that because no non-Republican candidate has filed to date to contest certain elections in which multiple Republicans have filed, those elections will constitute general elections and as such will be open to all registered county voters.  Those offices include:  Tax Collector, Supervisor of Elections, County Commission District 3, and Ocean Highway and Port Authority Districts 1 and 2.  The author thanks Mr. Zimmerman for his correction and apologizes to Fernandina Observer readers.

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.