Joel Engelhardt27 candidates sweep into office in uncontested municipal races, election isn’t until March.
Twenty-seven candidates in Palm Beach County municipalities will take office in March without a contested election after qualifying closed this month without anyone filing to run against them.
The qualifying period is closed in more than half of the county’s 39 cities with contests emerging in 11 cities and winners determined without a contest in nine. Candidates can still sign up to run in the March 10 election in more than a dozen cities, including North Palm Beach, Boynton Beach and Palm Beach Gardens.
The county’s two largest cities, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton, have battles for every seat, with 12 candidates vying for four seats in Boca Raton and six candidates running for three seats in West Palm.
West Palm Beach
Two incumbents drew challengers in the county’s largest city, and the District 5 seat of term-limited Christina Lambert, who is running for mayor in 2027, drew two newcomers: Matt Ferrer and Steve Sylvester.
In District 1, Cathleen Ward faces a challenge from Martina Tate-Walker, who pulled out two years ago after receiving a job offer from a purported nonprofit. Roger Jackson III is challenging Christy Fox in District 3, which includes downtown.
Boca Raton
Former Council Member and County Commissioner Bob Weinroth is one of three candidates for Seat D in Boca Raton. Weinroth switched parties after Republican Marci Woodward ousted him from his south county commission seat in 2022. He flirted with running for school board before losing a Republican primary bid for U.S. House last year.
His opponents are Stacy Sipple and Larry Cellon.
Incumbents Andy Thomson and Fran Nachlas are facing off for mayor, with newcomer Mike Liebelson also in the race to fill the seat of term-limited Scott Singer.
Boca Council Member Marc Wigder faces a challenge from Meredith Madsen and Jon Pearlman for Seat B.
Seat A pits newcomers Bernard Korn, Christen Ritchey and Michelle Grau.
Other races to watch
In Juno Beach, Mayor Peggy Wheeler, a nine-year council member and the town’s first elected mayor, who became a lightning rod for criticism from backers of an anonymous newsletter, qualified and then withdrew after she threw her support behind former Council Member Elaine Cotronakis. Newcomer David Santilli also qualified.
Newcomer Scott Shaw is challenging Incumbent Marianne Hosta for Juno’s Seat 1, and Max Fraser and Eddie Gottschalk are facing off in Seat 3 after John Callaghan, appointed to fill a midterm vacancy, chose not to run.
In Lake Park, Mayor Roger Michaud faces challenges from Rafael “Ralph” Moscoso and Kelly “Steele” McNamara in the only race on the ballot.
Wellington drew seven candidates for two seats to replace Tanya Siskind in Seat 2 and John McGovern in Seat 3.
Wellington Seat 2 pits Johnny H. Meier, Elizabeth Pandich and Tatiana Yaques. Running for Seat 3 are Lauren Brody, Stephen A. Levin, Paulo Santana and Joshua Zillmer.
Delray Beach Commissioner Angela Burns won reelection in Seat 4 without a contest. Four candidates filed to run for the open seat vacated by Rob Long, who is running for the late Joe Casello’s District 90 state House seat.
The four candidates for Seat 2 in Delray Beach are: Judy Mollica, Frances Delores Rangel, Robert Laban Lewis and Andrea Keiser.
Mayor Jeff Hmara won another term as Royal Palm Beach mayor but four candidates are vying for two seats on the council. Selena S. Samios is challenging Group 1 incumbent Adam Miller, while Steve Avila is challenging Group 3 incumbent Sylvia L. Sharps.
In Palm Beach Shores, Vice Mayor Tracy Larcher won the mayor’s seat without an election, replacing Alan Fiers who is not running. Four candidates filed for three remaining seats. They are incumbent Steven Smith and newcomers Paul Bailey, Anastasia S. Karloutsos and Tony Lembo.
In Gulf Stream, six candidates qualified for all five seats on the Town Council. They are incumbents Scott Morgan, Thomas Stanley, Robert Canfield, Michael Greene and Joan Orthwein, and newcomer Michael Glennon.
In Greenacres, five candidates are vying for two seats. Incumbent Peter Noble drew a challenge from Nathaniel Galang and Olga Sierra in District 2, and Judy Dugo drew a challenge from Leonard “Aubrey” Grant in District 3.
In Loxahatchee Groves, Seat 1 incumbent Todd McLendon is running for a three-year term against Manish Sood for Seat 5, formerly held by Margaret Herzog. Three candidates are running to complete one year remaining on the term in Seat 1: Steven Hoffman, Joe Stephens and Robert Sullivan.
And the winners are
Nine cities will hold no election because candidates qualified without opposition. They are:
- Atlantis: Incumbents Keller Lanahan, Group 1; Allan Kaulbach, Group 3; and Derek Cooper, Group 5.
- Jupiter: Incumbents Danny “Dan” Guisinger, First District; and Ronald “Ron” Delaney, Second District.
- Lake Clarke Shores: Incumbents Bridget Keating, Group 3; Taylor Materio, Group 4; and Christy Maasbach, Group 5.
- Lantana: Incumbents Mark Zeitler, Group 3; and Christopher Castle, Group 4.
- Manalapan: Incumbents Orla Imbesi, Seat 2; Dwight Kulwin, Seat 4; Elliot Bonner, Seat 6.
- Ocean Ridge: Incumbents Carolyn Cassidy and David Hutchins.
- South Bay: Newcomer Betty Bernard, Seat 1; and incumbents Taranza McKelvin, Seat 3; and Albert Polk IV, Seat 5.
- Tequesta: Newcomer Jahnel Kinnebrew, Seat 1; and incumbents Laurie Brandon, Seat 3; and Richard Lawrence “Rick” Sartory, Seat 5. Their qualification papers are awaiting final review.
- Westlake: Mayor John Paul O’Connor and Council Members Erik Gleason, Group 2; and Greg Langowski, Group 4.
Candidates can still qualify to run by Tuesday in Belle Glade, Boynton Beach, Cloud Lake, Glen Ridge, Haverhill, Highland Beach, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Pahokee and South Palm Beach.
Editor’s note: See who qualified by Nov. 25 in Part 2 of this story here.
Qualifying closes Dec. 1 in Palm Beach Gardens and Dec. 9 in Hypoluxo. Palm Beach holds a caucus to select candidates on Dec. 2.
Four cities have no seats up for election in March. They are: Lake Worth Beach, which is planning ballot questions to amend the charter, Riviera Beach, Palm Springs and Village of Golf.
For Part 2 as qualifying closed in other cities, click here.
Joel is a founder, reporter and editor at Stet News. His award-winning newspaper career spanned more than 40 years, including 28 years at The Palm Beach Post, which he left in 2020. Joel lives with his wife in Palm Beach Gardens. He volunteers on the board of NAMI Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach Gardens Historical Society.
