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Ocala
Friday, March 29, 2024

Three seeking open Ocala City Council seat in Tuesday’s special election

The ongoing saga of filling the District 2 seat on the Ocala City Council enters its next phase Tuesday when residents will have the opportunity to cast ballots for one of three candidates seeking the seat in a special election.

The candidates – Ire Bethea Sr., Lonnie Hooks III and Reginald E. Landers Jr. – are hoping to fill the seat that originally opened up when Mary Sue Rich decided not to run again after serving for 24 years. Tyrone Eugene Oliver Jr. defeated Bethea in the November general election but the City Council refused to seat him the following month because he is a convicted felon.

Ire Bethea Sr., Lonnie Hooks III and Reginald E. Landers Jr.

Bethea spent close to 30 years working for the Ocala Recreation and Parks Division – eight of those as the department head. He also was involved with the Boys and Girls Club and has remained active in various groups and with the youth of West Ocala.

Hooks refers to himself as a “patriot and community organizer that values everyone equally. He has 12 years of experience in crime prevention and social services and has been involved in the communities he has lived in.

Landers, who has served as a Marion County teacher, is the vice chairman of the Ocala Housing Authority. He said he believes in two-way communication, coalition building and community development.

If none of the three candidates gets the required 50 percent plus one of the vote, a runoff election would be held May 19 between the top two vote-getters, meaning the new councilmember would be seated on June 2.

The polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents can find their assigned voting locations at www.votemarion.com.