Cape Coral mayor’s race heats up to seven
The number of announced candidates for mayor jumped to seven this week.
Meanwhile, the newly opened District 5 Cape Coral City Council seat got its first announced candidate last Friday and its second this week.
Joe Coviello, chairman of the City of Cape Coral Budget Review Committee and a business consultant, and Daniel J. Sheppard III, a business owner and landscaper, join Derrick Donnell, a former Cape Coral City Council member; Rana Erbrick, the current District 5 council member; April J. Freeman, a business owner who has made two Congressional bids; Michael Hollow, a Realtor and former lieutenant with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office before retiring 2016; and Kevin Koch, a Realtor, in the mayor’s race.
David A. Stokes, a Charlotte County firefighter/paramedic, was the first candidate to announce for the District 5 seat, from which Erbrick has resigned pursuant to resign-to-run laws. Erbrick’s resignation is effective Sept. 7.
James D. Schneider, a Realtor, filed for District 5 this week.
As of Thursday, announced candidates for Cape Coral City Council include:
* Mayor
Announced:
Joe Coviello
Derrick L. Donnell
Rana M. Erbrick
April J. Freeman
Michael Hollow
Kevin Koch
Daneial J. Sheppard III
Mayor Marni Sawicki has said she will not run for a second term.
* District 1
Announced:
Jim Burch (incumbent)
James Foraker
John Gunter
Graham Madison Morris
* District 4
Announced:
Jeffrey Jones
Richard Leon (incumbent)
Jennifer Nelson
* District 5
Announced:
James D. Schneider
David A. Stokes
* District 6
Announced:
John Karcher
Rick Williams (incumbent)
Candidate lists are not final until candidate qualifying concludes. Qualifying for Cape Council candidates will run from Monday, July 3, at 7:30 a.m. to Friday, July 7 at 1 p.m., excluding July 4. Candidates must pay the required fees and complete all paperwork in the Office of the City Clerk during the qualifying period. A financial disclosure form must also be completed and a voter registration card must be presented.
The primary election is Sept. 12. The general election is Nov. 7. Early voting dates for the primary are Sept. 5 to 9 and from Oct. 30 to Nov. 4.
Cape Coral municipal elections are non-partisan, citywide elections, meaning all registered voters may cast a ballot in all races regardless of party affiliation and the district in which the voter resides.
All candidates must be continuous, full-time residents of the city for the entire calendar year preceding their qualification for office and must also reside in their respective districts. Terms are for four years.
The total fee to run for city council is $426, which includes the filing fee of $100 plus the Election Assessment fee of 1 percent of the annual salary of $32,600 ($326). The total fee to run for mayor is $516, which includes the filing fee of $150 plus the Election Assessment fee of 1 percent of the annual salary of $36,600 ($366).