Commentary: Think About a Run for Commission -- Yes, YOU

By Suanne Thamm

Fernandina Beach wants YOU to consider running for city commission in 2024.

It’s only June 2023, yet the airwaves are already full of campaign announcements for the 2024 presidential race. Although it seems like we’ve barely recovered from the 2020 election, it’s getting to be that time for interested candidates to begin introducing themselves to the voters and raising campaign funds. If that is the situation on the national level, shouldn’t local campaigns also start ramping up?

When the current Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) changed the city election schedule to coincide with state and county primary elections, they interjected an element of confusion for the public. Their goal appears to have been to save the cost of run-off elections, which historically have very low turnouts. The change means that the qualifying date for candidates has been moved from July to May of the election year. If there are more than two candidates for any seat, that election will resemble partisan primary elections and take place in August. The top two vote-getters will then move on to the November general election.

While it is true that this change will save the cost of a run-off election, critics argue that the change will confuse the voters and result in fewer votes cast in city elections. Why? Recent history has demonstrated that the August primary consists almost exclusively of Republican candidates for office. Critics fear that voters who are not registered Republicans will think that they cannot vote in the nonpartisan city election.

Those critics must remember that school board races, also non-partisan, appear on the ballot in the August primary. The bottom line: if you receive a sample ballot, you are eligible to vote for those offices indicated on your sample ballot, which is mailed to each registered voter by the Supervisor of Elections.

In 2024, three Fernandina Beach City Commission seats are up for election: Seats 1, 2, and 3. Since three seats will be contested, 2024 could definitely be a change election. Commissioner Chip Ross, who currently holds Seat 3, is term-limited, meaning that he cannot run for re-election. The other two seats are held by Bradley Bean and David Sturges. It is unknown at this time if either or both will seek re-election.

There is still time for potential city candidates to brush up on issues, meet with city staff, follow the budget developments and get more engaged in the community. But due to the change in the election schedule, the time frame for qualifying to be on the 2024 ballot has been reduced.

Fernandina Beach City Clerk Caroline Best advises that the 2024 general election qualifying dates are May 13 - May 17, 2024. The qualifying fees: filing fee $360; election assessment fee $120. The deadline for qualifying by petition is May 2, 2024; required number of valid petitions: 115.

If you need more information about the ins and outs of qualifying, filing reports, commissioning signs, etc., contact Caroline Best at cbest@fbfl.org.

If you are civic-minded and concerned about the future direction of our city, you can do something about it. Put your ideas forward, and throw your hat into the ring. The voters will always seek good people to represent them.