After qualifying closed Tuesday, eight candidates are vying for three seats on the Safety Harbor City Commission.
Running for mayor are Joe Ayoub and Janet Hooper. Ayoub is a former mayor who also served on the commission. He is facing Hooper, who is in her first term as a commissioner. She resigned from Seat 1 to run for mayor. Hooper’s resignation is effective March 21, the week after the election.
Four candidates are lining up to serve the remainder of Hooper’s term on the commission: Nancy J. Besore, Cameron Boozarjomehri, Damon Lister and Scott Long. Boozarjomehri originally was a candidate for Seat 4 but switched to Seat 1.
Incumbent Carlos Diaz is running for re-election to Seat 4. He’s being challenged by Luanne Lambert.
So far, Ayoub is the fundraising winner in the mayor’s race, raising $8,770 according to the latest financial reports ending Dec. 31. One of his contributors is newly elected Democratic state Rep. Ben Diamond, who donated $150.
Hooper raised $5,233 to date.
With $1,450, Long is the fundraising leader in the Seat 1 race. Among Long’s contributors is Neil Brickfield, who served on both the Pinellas County and Safety Harbor commissions.
Lister follows closely with $1,330. Boozarjomehri raised $50. No report was available for Besore, who did not open a campaign account until this month.
In the race for Seat 4, Diaz is ahead of Lambert with $200. Lambert raised $50.
The election is March 14.
