Local voters who were looking forward to Jerry Holland running for mayor were dismayed when he announced he is running for supervisor of elections again.
Currently the property appraiser, Holland was supervisor from 2005 to 2015.
The current supervisor, Mike Hogan, is term limited.
Hogan, Holland and Tax Collector Jim Overton all are former members of the City Council, although all three never served at the same time.
The three positions they hold are three of the five constitutional office positions in the consolidated government. The other two are sheriff and court clerk.
Holland had been eying the mayor’s race but he decided to end the suspense and announce his decision early.
The only two declared candidates to replace the Republican incumbent are City Council Members Matt Carlucci and Al Ferraro. Former councilman Daniel Davis is expected to enter at some point as a Republican.
Democrats are expected to put someone into the race, most likely former TV reporter Donna Deegan, who previously ran for Congress and lost.
Concerning elections, Holland says he hopes Congress can make elections better by increasing the consistency between states. Many Republicans fear the Democrat Congress is preparing to put the elections process under the thumb of the federal government and tilt the outcomes to the Democrat Party.
While some helpful reforms were done in 2000, Holland said of the current proposals, “Although I haven’t been following the bills, I wouldn’t be very encouraged something is going to come out that will help.”
Holland said he would not be in favor of requiring all votes to be cast on Election Day as they once were because it would require twice the number of polling places and cause delay. He said the mail ballot process can be made secure.
His outlook on elections always has been “trust, but verify” he told Eye on Jacksonville.
It is unlikely Holland will get any Republican opposition but some Democrat may choose to oppose him in what probably would be a futile effort, given Holland’s record, name recognition and popularity.
