Looking for details about Key West’s upcoming elections? Wondering who’s running for the three open city commission seats, and who’s challenging Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez for the gavel? Which candidates are racking up campaign donations? And who’s writing the biggest checks to support them?
All that information and more is available online, but it’s not in its usual spot.
As of Jan. 5, city clerks are handling city elections in the Florida Keys, so all candidate and voting information for municipal, or city, elections is now on the websites for the City of Key West, City of Marathon, City of Key Colony Beach, City of Layton and Village of Islamorada.
Key West races and candidate information are available at cityofkeywest-fl.gov. From the home page, click on Your Government > Office of the City Clerk > Election Information. The city clerk’s webpage has a whole new host of election information and important links, including a direct portal to all candidates’ financial reports that detail all donations that have come in and all money that has been spent on campaign expenses.
“We’ve been working closely with Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies on this transition and her office has been very helpful,” Key West city clerk Keri O’Brien told the Keys Weekly.
Hodies said that the city clerk’s office has been “wonderful to work with in this transition as we ensure consistency with state statutes and election regulations that specify that city clerks are responsible for municipal elections,” Hodies said on Jan. 20.
She acknowledged that the county elections office for years had managed city elections, but did so without any formal contract or agreement that specified each entity’s roles and responsibilities. Her office has been providing training and resources to the clerks’ offices and to candidates who are still getting used to the change.
The county elections website now states on its home page, “Beginning Jan. 5, 2026, those who wish to file their municipal (city) candidacy to run for office, must do so through their specific municipality with their city clerk.” The page also includes links to each Florida Keys municipality — Key West, Marathon, Key Colony Beach, Layton and Islamorada.
Hodies and her staff continue to oversee countywide elections for county commission, school board, judges and other countywide offices such as sheriff and state attorney, tax collector, public defender and others. Hodies’ office also still handles the Key West Utility Board elections, as those board members represent people from Key West to the Seven Mile Bridge.
The county elections website at votemonroeflkeys.gov still has all the voter information, important dates and deadlines for early voting, vote by mail and candidate qualification. The county election website is also a wealth of information about voter demographic data, historical election results and more. Hodies and her staff will continue to conduct the operational aspects of a city election with regard to ballot printing, voting machines, vote tabulations, election certification and other mandated tasks.
Anyone interested in running for an office has until May 11 to file all required paperwork to enter a race. On Key West’s website, as of Jan. 20, active candidates for city offices include:
Mayor:
Dee Dee Henriquez (incumbent)
Samuel Kaufman
City commissioner, District II
Bobi Lore
Mark Rossi
City commissioner, District IV
Sarah Compton
Juan Llera
City commissioner, District V
Chris Massicotte
