Let the races begin!

The 2024 election season is chugging along, and now that the qualifying period has ended, here is a roundup of candidates who have been elected without opposition and those in the running for the primary election in August and the general election in November.

Greg Harrell, (REP), was reelected to a second term as Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller without drawing opposition.

Jimmy Cowan, (REP), was reelected to a second term as the Marion County Property Appraiser without drawing opposition.

George Albright, (REP), was reelected to a sixth term as the Marion County Tax Collector without drawing opposition.

Michelle Stone, (REP) drew three challengers, all of whom withdrew. Stone was thus reelected to her third term as a county commissioner for District 5.

County Judges Tommy Thompson and Robert Landt both are reelected to their third terms unopposed.

Lori Conrad drew an opponent for Marion County School District 2. The challenger did not qualify, thus Conrad was reelected to a second term.

State Attorney William B Gladson was reelected without opposition for a second term.

Public Defender Michael Graves was reelected without opposition.

Florida State Rep. for district 21, Yvonne Hayes Hinson (DEM) was reelected without opposition.

To be decided in August

Sheriff Billy Woods, (REP), drew an opponent, Milton Simmons Busby Jr., (REP). Since both candidates are Republican, all registered Marion County voters, regardless of their party registration, can vote in the August primary, which will determine who will serve as sheriff.

School Board member Allison Beth Campbell drew an opponent, Beth McCall, a former school district member who resigned in 2021 after moving outside the district she represented. The school district race is a nonpartisan; therefore, all registered Marion County voters will be able to participate.

District 1 County Commissioner Craig Curry, (REP), is seeking a second term and drew opponent, Sarah Almedia Dennis (REP). Both candidates are Republican, therefore all registered Marion County voters will have the opportunity to vote in this race.

District 3 County Commissioner Matt McClain, (REP), is being challenged by fellow Republican David Blackwell and write-in candidate Rich Brown. McClain was appointed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis to fill the seat after Jeff Gold reigned. Because there is a write-in candidate, this race will be decided only by Marion County registered Republicans.

Encouraging a write-in candidate to run to close voting in races to only Republican voters when there are no Democratic candidates has become a popular move in recent years.

McClain’s uncle, Bret Doster of Front Line Agency, a campaign consulting firm that is managing McClain’s bid for county commission, actively walked a write-in candidate, Robert Fox, during the 2023 special election into the Department of Elections’ Tallahassee office to help Ryan Chamberlin then.

Doster also did not respond to the “Gazette” inquiry about whether or not his agency ‘helped’ Brown like he ‘helped’ Fox.

The “Gazette” reached out to McClain and Brown to ask about the circumstances of Brown filing as a write-in candidate just before the qualifying period ended. Brown didn’t respond but McClain told the “Gazette” he was happy it happened since he felt the loophole helped ensure that only republicans would be able to vote in a primary which he opined would help “the most conservative candidate.”

McClain said he didn’t know Brown, or his motivations for filing as a “write-in.”

Marion County is divided among five Florida House Districts: 20, 21, 23, 24, and 27. You can find out which district you live in by using the Supervisor of Elections website: votemarion.gov/Voters/Find-My-Elected-Officials. Candidates in only two of the districts, however, will be on the primary ballot:

District 27 is by far the most crowded. Registered Republican voters who live in this district will get to choose from newcomers Richard Gentry, Steve Shives, and Beckie Sirolli. The winner of this primary will face Dennis M. Simpson Jr. (LPF) in the November general election.

Republican registered voters from District 20 will decide in August whether they’ll send Judson Sapp or Jamie Watts against Democrat Tony Connelly in the November election.

Marion County consists of two different congressional Districts: 3 and 6. Here are the candidates in those races.

Rep. Michael Waltz, (REP), who has represented District 6 since 2019, will face John Grow in the Republican primary in August.

Rep. Katherine “Kat” Cammack, (REP), who has represented District 3 since 2021, will face Alec Stevens in the August GOP primary.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has drawn two opponents in the Republican primary: John S. Columbus and Keith Gross. Democrats will chose whether Stanley Campbell, Rod Joseph, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell or Brian Rush will face the Republican primary winner in November.

Other races

For Florida House District 24, incumbent Ryan Chamberlin, (REP), did not draw a primary opponent and he will face newcomer Democrat Robert Shaw in the general election.

For Florida House District 23, all registered voters in this district will choose between Republican JJ Grow, or Democrat Judith Vowels.

Stan McClain, a longtime politician who has termed out as a State House Representative, is now vying for Marion County’s sole State Senate seat. His challenger is newcomer Democrat Sylvain Dore.

Whoever wins the 6^th Congressional District in the primary, will face local pastor James David Stockton, III (DEM) and write in candidate Richard Paul.