candidates

Democrats Running for Election in Lee County for 2022

General Election: 11/8/22

You may see other races and candidates on your ballot that do not appear on this page. Those are races where there is no Democrat running and we are not making any recommendation. Feel free to leave those races blank if you wish.

Federal

US Senator

US House of Representatives

CD 19

Cindy Banyai

State

Statewide

Governor

Charlie Crist

Lt. Governor

Karla Hernandez

Attorney General

Aramis Ayala

Statewide

Chief Financial Officer

Adam Hattersley

Commissioner of Agriculture

Naomi Esther Blemur

State Supreme Court

Jorge Labarga

Lee Dems recommend vote NO on all four other justices.

State Senate

State House

Constitutional Amendment 1

No. 1 Constitutional Amendment, Article VII, Section 4; Article XII, Section 42

Limitation on the Assessment of Real Property Used for Residential Purposes

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution, effective January 1, 2023, to authorize the Legislature, by general law, to prohibit the consideration of any change or improvement made to real property used for residential purposes to improve the property’s resistance to flood damage in determining the assessed value of such property for ad valorem taxation purposes.

Lee Dems recommend vote NO.

Constitutional Amendment 2

No. 2 Constitutional Amendment, Article II, Section 5; Article XI, Sections 2 and 5

Abolishing the Constitution Revision Commission

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to abolish the Constitution Revision Commission, which meets at 20th year intervals and is scheduled to next convene in 2037, as a method of submiting proposed amendments or revisions to the State Constitution to electors of the state for approval. This amendment does not affect the ability to revise or amend the State Constitution through citizen initiative, constitutional convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, or legislative joint resolution.

Lee Dems recommend vote YES.

Constitutional Amendment 3

No. 3 Constitutional Amendment, Article VII, Section 6; Article XII

Additional Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Specified Critical Public Services Workforce

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to authorize the Legislature, by general law, to grant an additional homestead tax exemption for nonschool levies of up to $50,000 of the assessed value of homestead property owned by classroom teachers, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, child welfare services professionals, active duty members of the United States Armed Forces, and Florida National Guard members. This amendment shall take effect January 1, 2023.

Lee Dems recommend vote YES.

Lee County

County Commission

(Both At Large)

District 2

Karen Watson (write-in)

District 4

Jim Sheets (write-in)

(Special Election)

District 5

Matthew “Matt” Wood

School Board

District 1

Kathy Fanny

District 4

Debbie Jordan

School Board Referendum

Repealing Resolution Providing for an Appointed, Rather than an Elected, Superintendent of Schools

Currently, by resolution of the Lee County School Board, the Superintendent of Schools for the Lee County School District is an appointed, rather than an elected, position. Shall Chapter 2022–233, Laws of Florida, which repeals the aforesaid resolution and provides that the Superintendent of Schools shall no longer be appointed by the Lee County School Board, but rather shall be elected in a partisan election by vote of qualified electors residing in Lee County for a term of 4 years, beginning with the 2024 general election, become effective?

Lee Dems recommend vote NO.

Municipalities

City of Bonita Springs

(Non-partisan)

District 3

Steven Blumrosen

District 5

Jude Richvale

City of Fort Myers

(Non-partisan)

Mayor

David Ruffin

Ward 1

Teresa Watkins Brown

Ward 3

Chantel Rhodes

Town of Fort Myers Beach

(Non-partisan)

Ray Murphy

Independent Special Districts

(Non-partisan, no primaries)

Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue

Precincts 1.3, 3.0, 4.1, 19.1, 19.3, 26, 42, 45.0, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54.0, 58, 76.0, 77, 78

Seat 2

Taurus Pugh
Moe Yasin

Seat 5

Cia Gomez-Sherman

Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement*

Precincts 1.2, 1.3, 3.0, 4.1, 26, 42.1, 45.0, 50, 51.0, 51.2, 52, 53, 54.0, 58, 76.0, 77, 78

* Multi-county district. Candidates must qualify for office with the Florida Division of Elections.

Seat 2

David Lenahan II

Seat 4

Mike Bonacolta

Matlacha/Pine Island Fire Control District

Precincts 14.0, 15, 21, 55.0, 107.0 

Seat 4

Gary L. Stone

Moody River Estates CDD

Precinct 64.1

Seat 1

Juliann Canoura

Seat 5

Omar Abdoe

Paseo CDD

Precinct 36.3

Seat 1

William Kirrane

Seat 2

Debra Johnson

River Hall CDD

Precinct 5.4

Seat 5

Bob Lorenzen

Sanibel Public Library

Precincts 16, 117, 126

Seat 2

Susan Holly

Seat 5

Barbara Ruben

Seat 7 

Roy Gibson

Tice Fire Control & Rescue Service

Precincts 42, 4.3, 5.0, 5.2, 6, 9.2, 9.3, 9.5, 45.1, 54.1, 75.0, 85.1

Seat 5

James Burgess