Hernando County, located in the Sunshine State of Florida, is hosting a fascinating set of major races for the 2020 election season. The candidates come from a wide variety of backgrounds and political stances and it is important to be educated about each before heading to the polls.
For US Senator, current US Congressman Charlie Crist is running as a Democrat. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is endorsed by the Republican Party for this election year. Libertarian candidate Rebecca “Becky” Immanuel and Dr. Royolsen Martin from the Working Families Party are also in the running.
The race for US House congressional seat being vacated by Crist is much more crowded, with seven people in total. Resa Matthew-Cunningham, Crist’s current Chief of Staff and Secretary of Agriculture Nikki Fried are running as Democrats alongside Justin Moseley and Joel Cope who are both endorsed by the Republican Party. Robert Drew N these races Henryk Cymerman is the Working Family candidate while Andres Ubeda represents the Libertarian party – four candidates total have emerged in these races so far.
The race for Governor of Florida has also sparked attention in Hernando County. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is up for re-election against Democratic challenger Mayor Andrew Daley and Gail Elaine Henderson from the Working Families Party who is vying for a spot on November’s ballot.
Clearly there’s an exciting range of perspectives vying for various offices here in Hernando County. Be sure to stay informed on all your choices so you can make informed decisions when hitting up your local polls this coming November!
Who are the candidates running in the Hernando County election?
The upcoming Hernando County elections for county officials will be held in November of this year. With multiple candidates vying for positions in the county such as State Attorney, Tax Collector, and Property Appraiser, there is plenty to consider when deciding who’s best fit for the job.
In the State Attorney race we have incumbent Russell Edgar, running against challengers William “Bill” Bishop and Anthony Ruiz. Edgar has served as Hernando County State Attorney since 2012, previously having worked as a lawyer within both the public and private sectors. Bishop has experience which includes 20 years with The United States Navy serving as a judge advocate general. Ruiz is an attorney who currently serves at Manatee-Sarasota State’s Attorney’s Office and states his goals include addressing drug addiction issues and rising crime rates within Hernando County when elected state attorney.
The Tax Collector race includes incumbent John Mitten, who was originally appointed in 2005 to fill an unexpired term position, and Jacqueline Robinson. Robinson has over 11 years of experience working with the Suncoast Credit Union financial services institution.
The Property Appraiser race sees five candidates vying for election-- incumbent John Craig Nash, Melinda Walker Masterson, Vern Andrew Hepler Jr., Vester “Jack” Purvis Jr., and Woody Markham Sr. Masterson currently works with her Grandfathers business Eitel & Walker Realty Inc., Hepler is a retired vice president of commercial lending from BB&T bank Bradenton branch; Purvis recently retired from the Information Services Department of Pasco Hernando Student Support Services Network; Markham works in Business Development and Economic Development Services at SunKris Solutions Group LLC in Pinellas Park; and Nash is currently running for his fourth term as Hernando County Property Appraiser having been elected first in 2004 then again in 2008 and 2012 consecutively.
It is clear that each candidate brings unique qualifications as well as experience to their respective races within Hernando county elections. As local residents prepare to cast their votes they must decide which candidate they feel would best serve their community needs with considerable thoughtfulness towards the specifics of each individual's journey to present day candidacy when considering their ballots on Election Day this November!
What offices are up for grabs in the Hernando County election?
Hernando County, Florida, is preparing to hold a variety of elections on November 3rd of this year. With a total of 19 local county offices being up for grabs and 11 statewide offices, this coming election is set to be an important one for county residents.
The first of the 19 local county positions which are up for grabs on this ballot is County Commissioner. As the commissioners work together to shape the future of the county, their responsibilities can range from conducting meetings with various citizens and organizations to approving various budget items. Other positions include: Board of Equalization Member, Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller, Property Appraiser, Sheriff and Supervisor of Elections.
Other than local offices up for election in Hernando County this year are 11 state-wide positions, including Senator in Congress (for all 27 districts in Florida), Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture. These individuals have the important role or representing their communities at a state-wide level by pushing legislations that will benefit their constituents.
For those seeking other positions within Hernando County besides those noted above they may be interested in additional non-partisan County Offices such as Tax Collector, Superintendent of Schools and School Board Member (for Districts 1-5). These individuals have equal part in shaping the future trajectory or Hernando County by representing their respective districts and implementing policies beneficial to all locals.
All county residents eligible to vote should take advantage of this opportunity to elect leaders for 2020 and beyond that best represent their values and beliefs when it comes to organizations in the Hernando County government. The offices up for grabs on the November 3rd election offer insight into who these representatives key areas with various interests ranging from schools to taxation.
How many candidates are on the ballot for the Hernando County election?
Hernando County, located in the state of Florida, has a number of exciting races on the ballot this election year. For those within the county who are eligible to vote and are interested in learning how many candidates are vying for office, here is an overview of the list of contenders for each race.
The first position on this year's ballot is that of the Hernando County Sheriff. There are four candidates running for Sheriff: Kenneth McMullen Jr., representing the Republican Party; John Schillinger, representing the Libertarian Party; Michael Stapleton Jr., representing the Nonpartisan party; and following in line is Doug Ackoff representing the Green Party.
Next on the ballot is that of Property Appraiser. In this race, there are three contenders: Gary Neale, running as a Republican; Corey Intagliata is running as a Democrat; and Noreen M. Blanchard has filed as an Independent candidate seeking office as Hernando County Property Appraiser.
Thirdly, for Clerk of Courts there are two competing candidates available for choice: Weekley Kelley Lee Smith and Dereck Sims Henderson. Both applicants have each declared their political affiliation with the Republican Party
Finally, coming in at fourth position on this years Hernando County Election Ballot is that for Supervisor of Elections. There will be only two names on this section – Lori Edwards-Matson and Jeffrey Dutko – both from the Democratic Party vying for your votes.
All in all, with all these races combined there are a total of 13 candidates vying for your votes in Hernando County election this year; with no shortage of choices and beliefs to back up your selection!
Who are the incumbents running in the Hernando County election?
The upcoming Hernando County election is sure to draw a great deal of attention from residents as many key positions are up for grabs. This year, 10 incumbent seats are up for grabs, and their success in office has likely landed them nominations to run again. Who exactly will be on the ballots? Let’s take a look.
First off, incumbent Republican Steve Champion is facing off against Democrat Greg Sheldon to keep his seat as the County Commission chairman. Meanwhile, Jack Mariano, a Republican and current commissioner, is vying for reelection to his District 5 seat against newcomer Democrat Christopher Kingsley. In District 1, incumbent Commissioner Jeff Holcomb is also running again and opposing Democrat Abdul Haqq Salahuddin. Lastly in District 3 there will be a Republican face-off between incumbent Commissioner Wayne Dukes and former Commissioner Dave Russell.
In the supervisor of elections race, current incumbent Shirley Anderson is running for re-election against Democratic challenger Dave Wertz. The property appraiser’s position will involve competing candidates Bob McKalip (Republican) and Essie Jo Randall (Democrat), both of whom hope to replace the retiring John Emerson Smith Jr. Residents wishing their taxes remain low will be thrilled to find two familiar incumbents aiming to keep their jobs in the tax collector’s and clerk of courts races – Dorcas Goodman (Republican) and Karen Nicolai (Democrat), respectively.
For sheriff's duty, retirees-turned-candidates Jerry Novack (Republican) and Lee Coleman (Democrat) are also running for re-election against each other – as well as opponents Brett Barclay (Republican) or Jaime Cochran (Democrat). Whoever succeeds Sheriff Novack should follow his footsteps well when it comes to promoting safety in the county's five districts!
It looks like this election season won't lack interesting races - where televised debates will further feed into voters' fascination with local politics!
What is the filing deadline for the Hernando County election?
For residents of Hernando County, Florida, elections can be complicated. Knowing the deadline to file for ballot access is critical in order to have everything in order before the day of voting. Thankfully, county officials have scheduled and released the filing deadlines for the upcoming election.
The filing deadline to participate in the Hernando County election is Friday, June 12th 2020. Any interested individuals who want to access to their ballot must qualify as a candidate by 4 p.m. EST on that date by either paying a filing fee or collecting petitions and turning them into county officials. All candidates must submit their registration form or petition packet at one of two central locations either at the Supervisor of Elections office, 20 North Main Street Room 165 or at tax collector’s office located in Room 1489 at 20 North Main Street Room 173 both located in Brooksville FL 34601
It is essential that all potential candidates understand requirements and associated deadlines when attempting to qualify as a contestant for an election in Hernando County, FL. If you wish to participate in upcoming election and think you may be eligible, make sure you pay attention to timeframes and deadlines so that your name is included on the ballot when it comes time for voting. Don't miss out on your chance to shape the local community- get registered today!
