Meet your candidates 2: Now unopposed winners total 51

Boynton Beach, North Palm Beach added to list of cities where candidates win without election.

More than two dozen candidates took office without a single vote cast when qualifying closed in 12 more Palm Beach County cities in the past week.

Last week Stet reported that 27 candidates took office without opposition in nine cities.

Now the number grows to 51, including three candidates in North Palm Beach, two in Boynton Beach and one in Palm Beach Gardens, all declared winners before the first vote is cast in the March 10 municipal elections.

While elections in November for president or governor grab headlines, Palm Beach County’s 39 cities hold elections in March. Those elected meet regularly and make decisions on local zoning and growth while determining garbage pickup, fire and police protection and costs for parks and recreation, among a wide range of duties both explosive and mundane.

They are paid positions, with benefits, but the pay typically falls far short of full-time employment. 

Not all cities are election-free.

In the county’s fifth most-populous city, Palm Beach Gardens, three candidates are running for the Group 3 seat of term-limited Chelsea Reed. They are former Council Member Rachelle A. Litt, who lost a run for state House last year; former Council Member David J. Levy; and newcomer Heather Deitchman. 

Incumbent Dana Middleton in Group 5 drew a challenge from Damien Murray. No one filed to run against Group 1 incumbent Bert Premuroso so he retains the seat.

In the tiny barrier island town of South Palm Beach, two candidates are duking it out for mayor while five people qualified to run for three seats on the Town Council. 

Mayor Bernice “Bonnie” Fischer faces a challenge from Rafael Pineiro. Town Council members Sandra Beckett, Monte Berendes and Elvadianne Culbertson must vie for votes against challengers Francine Attardi and Adrian Burcet, with the top three vote-getters advancing to the council.

In the even less-populous Jupiter Inlet Colony, Seat 2 went to incumbent Janet Saura unopposed but Seat 4 incumbent Sharon Seagren faces a challenge from Anna Nemes.

In Pahokee next to Lake Okeechobee, Mayor Keith Babb wins reelection as does Group 2 incumbent Derrick Boldin. But Group 1 incumbent Clara “Tasha” Murvin faces a challenge from James H. Scott.

In Belle Glade, Mayor Steve Wilson faces Darrell Kelly for Seat B, and Stanley Highsmith faces Linda Santiago Quinones for the open Seat A.

Other newly added towns to the list of winners: 

Boynton Beach: Mack McCray takes over for Woodrow Hay in District 2 and Commissioner Aimee Kelley returns in District 4.

North Palm Beach: Mayor Deborah Searcy in Group 1, Orlando Puyol in Group 3 and Lisa Interlandi in Group 5.

Highland Beach: Mayor Natasha Moore and Commissioner Donald Peters.

Mangonia Park: Incumbents Kelisha Buchanan-Webb, Lisa Davis-Quince and Sarita C. Johnson. 

Haverhill: Incumbents Jay Foy, Seat 3; Lawrence Gordon, Seat 4; and Teresa Johnson, Seat 5.

Cloud Lake: Incumbents Katie Hoock, Seat 2; Alexandra Powell-Sardinas, Seat 3; and John Tyson, Seat 4.

Glen Ridge: Mayor Alice McLane and incumbents Taylor Jantz, Seat 1; Leila Rothe, Seat 2; Kevin Wellman, Seat 3.

As Stet reported on Nov. 24, the county’s two largest cities, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton, will have contested elections in March.

In West Palm’s District 5 newcomers Matt Ferrer and Steve Sylvester are running for the seat of term-limited Christina Lambert, who is running for mayor in 2027.

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.

In Boca Raton, former Council Member and County Commissioner Bob Weinroth is one of three candidates for Seat D in Boca Raton. 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 towns with contests: Juno Beach, Lake Park, Wellington, Delray Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Palm Beach Shores, Gulf Stream, Greenacres and Loxahatchee Groves. 

Towns with no contested races: Atlantis, Jupiter, Lake Clarke Shores, Lantana, Manalapan, Ocean Ridge, South Bay, Tequesta and Westlake.

Four cities have no seats up for election in March: Lake Worth Beach, which is planning ballot questions to amend the charter, Riviera Beach, Palm Springs and Village of Golf.

Qualifying closes Dec. 9 in Hypoluxo and Palm Beach holds its caucus to select candidates on Dec. 2.

For more on who qualified to run and who already won, check out Part 1 published by Stet on Nov. 24.

Editor’s note: This story was updated Dec. 1 to add information about Palm Beach Gardens, Belle Glade and Glen Ridge and on Dec. 2 to add official results from Palm Beach Gardens.

Editor’s note 2: In Palm Beach, incumbent Lew Crampton drew a challenge from John David Corey for the Group 1 seat while Nicki McDonald in Group 2 and incumbent Bridget Moran in Group 3 won unopposed. In Briny Breezes, incumbent Jeffrey Duncan won Seat 4 without opposition but no candidates ran for mayor’s or in Seat 2.