Qualifying for Gainesville’s 2020 city elections closed at noon on Friday, and eight people qualified for the District 2, District 3 and At-Large 2 seats.
Incumbents Harvey Ward and David Arreola are each seeking their second term, while Helen Warren has reached her term limit, leaving the At-Large seat open for a newcomer.
The election is scheduled to take place with the presidential preference primary on March 17. Voters have until Feb. 18 to register.
The At-Large race, in which a candidate does not have to live within a particular district, has the most entrants: Scherwin Henry, Gabe Kaimowitz, Paul Rhodenizer and Reina Saco. Saco is currently leading fundraising efforts with $5,529.39 in monetary contributions.
David Walle is challenging Ward for District 2 and loaned himself $2,500 to start his campaign. Ward has raised $6,523.52. Walle, though, has been quick in setting up a website and hiring a campaign consultant, spending $2,800 compared to Ward’s $1,035.87 expenditure total.
In District 3, a familiar face and name in Jennifer Reid is seeking to unseat Arreola. She was one of three candidates who failed to defeat Mayor Lauren Poe earlier this year. Reid made a late entry just before Friday’s filing deadline and has not yet filed campaign finance reports. Arreola has raised $2,309.34 and spent $275.41.
A detailed map of Gainesville’s commissioner districts can be found here.