Panama City Beach, Fla. -
Friday was the last day to register for municipal elections that will be coming up in April. Many positions around Bay County are up for grabs.
Over in Ward 4 in Panama City Beach, council member Ken Nelson is running for mayor, leaving three candidates for the position - Debbie Sasser, Keith Curry, and Edward Benjamin. All three say they have a vision for the city.
"It has to do with the people and the residents of Panama City Beach...and I've always been involved and I always will be...whether I'm in office or not," Sasser said.
"If the residents of Panama City Beach want me to represent them, I will give them my guarantee that they will be proud of that individual that sits up there...that he will work very hard," Curry said.
"Since 2001, I've attended all the council and planning board meetings," Benjamin said. "I'm on the planning board now...I love Panama City Beach, and I'll work 110 percent for it."
Sasser was in bright and early Friday to register hours before the deadline. Controversy has been brewing over her eligibility the past few weeks. Sasser lived in ward 3, but pre-registered to run in Ward 4, in advance of a redistricting ordinance that would place her there. Curry says at the time, Sasser registered to run in a ward she didn't live in. Curry has filed a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission. For now, he says he wants to move on to the election
"The city council has deemed she's a qualified electorate and she can run," Curry said. "We're gonna run a race...I will not bring that up and we'll go forward."
"It needs to be the issues that are affecting Panama City Beach, not who's running for office," Sasser said. "That's what you're there for."
The redistricting ordinance was passed Thursday night, but Benjamin says the issue should have been solved months ago.
"The referendum was in November, it probably should have been held earlier and this whole thing should have been put to bed beforehand," Benjamin said.
With 3 positions up for grabs, including what many are calling a tension filled race for mayor, it should be an interesting race to the finish line. Election day in Bay County is April 17th.
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