The field for two at-large seats on the Sarasota City Commission was trimmed from five to three during Tuesday's primary election.
Incumbent City Commissioner Jennifer Ahearn-Koch received 34.27% of the vote while Flo Entler drew 29.10% and John Harshman earned 18.09%, according to unofficial results from the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office.
With Mayor Debbie Trice opting against running for a second term, that guaranteed at least one new face on the city commission, which has five members.
On Nov. 3, city voters will choose two from the field of Ahearn-Koch, Entler and Harshman.
Ahearn-Koch is seeking her third term.
She told the Herald-Tribune Editorial Board that two of her major priorities will be addressing the city’s ongoing
budget challenges and improving its stormwater infrastructure.
Entler, a longtime small business owner, told the Herald-Tribune Editorial Board that she would focus heavily on Sarasota’s quality of life issues.
She also expressed concern that the city is still shutting out citizen input on development growth.
Harshman has spent decades in local business as the founder of a Sarasota-based commercial real estate firm.
Harshman told the Herald-Tribune Editorial Board that the city commission has made numerous missteps in recent years, and he specifically cited its decision to green-light a $7 million-plus purchase on land on First Street for a workforce housing project that remains in limbo.
The five-candidate field also included Rob Rominiecki and Yevgeny Khodorkovsky.
You can see the Herald-Tribune's live election coverage here.
Earle Kimel primarily covers local governments in Sarasota County as well as land development and environmental issues for the Herald-Tribune. Follow him on Facebook, and X. He can be reached by email at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com.
Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Ahearn-Koch, Entler and Harshman advance in Sarasota Commission race
