Eight incumbents will return as qualifying ends

by AMELIA A. HART

amelia.hart@mynassausun.com

Eight Nassau County incumbents earned another term in office when they were the only candidates to qualify to run this week.

Clerk of the Circuit Court John A. Crawford, Supervisor of Elections Vicki Peterson Cannon, Tax Collector John M. Drew, Superintendent of Schools John L. Ruis, all Republicans, and non-partisan School Board members Gail G. Cook in District 2 and Jim Adams in District 4, and Soil and Water Conservation District members Tom Ford for Group 2 and Dana R. Bell for Group 4 will all return to office.

Qualifying ended at noon today.

Although Nassau County Commission District 1 incumbent Jim B. Higginbotham ran four years ago as a Republican, he qualified to run this week with no party affiliation meaning he will face Republican challenger Danny Leeper in the general election in November.

Republicans Michael C. Franklin, Tammy Stiles and Larry Williams will run for the GOP nomination for Property Appraiser in the Republican primary Aug. 26. The winner will face Democrat Ray Harper in November.

Incumbent Nassau County Sheriff Tommy Seagraves will be challenged in the Republican primary by C.W. "Connie" Johnson, Richard King and Carlos E. Slay. The winner will face Democratic candidate Jim Coe in November.

Incumbent County Commission District 5 incumbent Marianne Marshall will face Walter (JR) Boatright in the Republican primary. The winner will go up against Democrat Ramiro Palma in the District 5 race in November.

The race for Ocean, Highway & Port Authority District 1 also will go to the general election as Melvin Usery qualified as a Republican and Peter Mallory qualified with no party affiliation.

With only Republicans — Wynn Fendig, Stacy Johnson and Grady Howard Wright — qualifying to run, all Nassau County registered voters will be able to vote Aug. 26 in the race to replace County Commission District 3 member Tom Branan, who is resigning as of July 14.

All voters also can cast ballots Aug. 26 in the following races since they are either nonpartisan or only Republicans qualified to run:
• School Board District 1: Donna Martin and Dave Mazur
• Amelia Island Mosquito Control Member, Group 1: Clyde Goodbread and Ralph Jim Suarez
• Ocean, Highway & Port Authority District 2: Danny Fullwood and Jennifer Kelly-Sheffield (both Republicans); and
• Ocean, Highway & Port Authority District 3: Margie Gandy and Shirley Lear (both Republicans)