Former Tampa City Councilman and Hillsborough County Commissioner Thomas Scott have been appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to serve on the Florida Elections Commission.
The 61-year-old Scott serves as the senior pastor at the 34th Street Church of God in East Tampa. He’s been out of politics for the past four years following his first and only term on the City Council that ended in 2011.
Scott previously served as a Hillsborough County commissioner from 1996-2006 and as a member of the Tampa City Council from 2007-2011. Instead of running for re-election in District 5, Scott opted to run for the open mayoral seat that year vacated by a term-limited Pam Iorio.
But that run was unsuccessful, as Scott finished fifth in the five-person field. A subsequent try at Supervisor of Elections in 2012 ended when he lost to Craig Latimer in the Democratic Party primary that August.
Scott received his bachelorโs degree from University of North Florida and his doctorate from Southern California School of Ministry. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning March 30, 2015, and ending December 31, 2016.
The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
