Now that we finally have our new City Commissioners in place, let's take a look at who's up for reelection and what offices are up for grabs a year from now.
Three judges are up for reelection in the Year 2000, as are three County Commissioners and 13 other County officials.
U.S. Representative Peter Deutsch is up for reelection. The U.s. Senate seat now held by Connie Mack will be up for grabs. Sen. Mack is retiring.
State Representative Ken Sorensen is up for reelection. Former Key West Assistant City Manager Ron Herron says he will "probably" run— but he says he hopes to run unopposed. That won't happen. Sorensen told KWTN Thursday that he's definitely running for reelection.
Both State Attorney Kirk Zuelch and Public Defender Rosemary Enright are up for reelection next year. Sheriff Rick Roth is also up for reelection. It has been widely assumed that Roth would retire, but he announced last week that he would go for another term.
Roth already has a formal opponent: Ron Poindexter, a 30-year law enforcement veteran. Poindexter has filed with the Supervisor of Elections here and is raising money and running ads.
In 1996, Poindexter retired as a colonel in the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, one of the 10 largest sheriff's offices in the United States.
Circuit Judge Richard G. Payne is up for reelection in 2000. He is the judge who fired Pretrial Services Officer Sandra Estenoz. That may or may not color his bid for another term.
County Judge Wayne Miller also must face the voters again in 2000.
Circuit Judge Steve Shea is also up for reelection. But Shea has been suspended from office for a year, pending a decision by the Florida Supreme Court as to whether he should be removed from office for alleged improper behavior.
Three County Commissioners are up for reelection: Shirley Freeman, Mary Kay Reich and Wilhelmina Harvey. It has been generally assumed that Harvey— now 87— would retire after this term. But on Tuesday, Harvey— she formally filed for another four-year term.
One of the most interesting races could be for three Mosquito Control Board seats that are up for grabs. Joan Lord-Papy, Steve Smith and Bill Shaw— the three members of the board who unfixed a job allegedly "fixed' by a previous board for then-Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow— are all up for reelection.
Voters will have an opportunity to reward them for doing what they promised they would do when they ran four years ago— or boot them out for spending so much money to make the "unfix" stick.
Other County officials up for reelection are: Property Appraiser Ervin Higgs; Clerk of Court Danny Kolhage; Supervisor of Elections Harry L. Sawyer, Jr.; Tax Collector Harry Knight; and Superintendent of Schools Michael Lannon.
Two School Board members are up for reelection: Andy Griffiths and Pat Labrada.