Marion County voters are staring down a packed August primary, with the ballot now set after the qualifying window slammed shut at noon on June 12. Two open county-commission seats and three contested school-board posts headline a summer ballot that is suddenly crowded with local hopefuls, multiple Republican challengers, and a pair of write-in candidates.
Open commissions: two longtime commissioners step aside
On the commission side, the old guard is stepping back. Commission District 4 Chair Carl Zalak is not seeking re-election after 16 years on the board, and District 2’s Kathy Bryant is skipping a run for a fifth term. That one-two exit created a rare double vacancy that quickly drew multiple Republican contenders and at least one write-in for each district, cranking up interest in the local GOP primaries, according to WCJB.
Who is on the ballot for the commission races
In District 2, the qualifying list shows Republicans Matthew Cretul, Mike Crimi, and Brien Weidemiller on the ballot, along with a write-in candidate, Mark Okus. District 4 features Randall Alvord, Jeff Bairstow, Wanda Wimberly Lasher, and Sherri Meadows, with Leonard Michael Racioppi filed as a write-in.
Local filings note that those write-in candidacies can keep the commission contests classified as partisan, which can effectively limit who gets to vote in the primary unless a Democrat or unaffiliated candidate also qualifies. Filing details are laid out in the Ocala Gazette.
School board contests stay nonpartisan
The three school-board races on the Marion County ballot remain officially nonpartisan, so every registered voter in the county can weigh in. Seats in Districts 3, 4, and 5 are up this cycle, with incumbents such as Eric R. Cummings and Sarah James facing a list of challengers that includes Jeff Brewer, Mike Mills, Brigitte Smith, Buddy Wyckoff, Donald “Donny” Barber, and Ualthan Bigby.
Local reporting notes that the school-board contests have drawn a mix of educators, business owners, and community activists, turning those races into some of the most closely watched down-ballot fights this year. Candidate profiles and filing updates are available at Ocala-News.
Voter math and the next steps
According to the Marion County Supervisor of Elections calendar, the qualifying period ran from noon June 8 through noon June 12, and the Primary Election is set for Aug. 18. County roll reports list roughly 262,000 active registrants, with Republicans making up the largest bloc on the rolls.
Voters who want to change party affiliation, request a mail ballot, or review sample ballots will need to follow the posted deadlines from the elections office. The official candidate calendar and voter-roll files are available from the Marion County Supervisor of Elections and in the Marion County voter-roll reports.
