Two Ocala City Council members will be reelected after no one else registered to run against them, while the seats for mayor and District 3 will be decided in a special election after all seven candidates were previously disqualified.
On July 15, the Ocala City Council approved qualifying procedures and a schedule for a special election that will determine the office of mayor and three of the five seats on the council.
The measure was taken by the city in light of all seven candidates vying for seats on the Ocala City Council being previously disqualified by the Marion County Supervisor of Elections’ Office for not paying qualifying fees in accordance with state law
In Districts 1 and 5, incumbents Barry Mansfield and James P. Hilty, Sr., respectively, both qualified for the new special election. In both cases, the incumbents are running unopposed.
Marion County Supervisor of Elections’ records show that Mansfield raised approximately $31,750 for his reelection bid, while Hilty raised approximately $6,600. Both councilmen will be reelected to another term.
In District 3, both Mark W. Clark and TamBoura Jenkins re-qualified for the special election. Incumbent Jay A. Musleh, who previously announced that he would not seek another term, reentered the race after the qualifying period was reopened.
Musleh is a longtime banker who served 16 years on the Ocala Code Enforcement Board and took office in May 2012. He last won reelection to his seat in 2021, and is the longest-tenured council member.
Finally, three individuals filed to run for the mayor’s office, although only two qualified: Incumbent Ben Marciano, who raised approximately $18,250 in campaign funds and Zackary Feliciano, who raised approximately $100.
Now that the stage is set, voters will head to the polls to elect these offices on Tuesday, September 16.