Key West voters will elect a mayor and three city commissioners this summer, with the four nonpartisan city races appearing on the Aug. 18 primary ballot.
But voting will begin more than a month before that, as vote-by-mail ballots will be sent out on July 9 to those who requested them. Early in-person voting begins Aug. 3.
The first moderated question-and-answer candidate forum that’s open to the public is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 and is sponsored by the Key West Chamber of Commerce at the Tennessee Williams Theatre. On Monday, July 13 another forum will be sponsored by Hometown, the nonprofit and nonpartisan civic organization. The Lower Keys League of Women Voters will hold a city candidates debate on Thursday, July 23 at the Harvey Government Center.
Before those debates, Hometown will hold a meet-the-candidates event on Friday, June 12 at Tennessee Williams Theatre. Candidates won’t be asked any questions, but will “share their priorities and vision for the future of Key West and Monroe County.” (Details for the events are listed here.)
Meanwhile, plenty of political vitriol plays out, unsurprisingly, on social media, where it is exchanged mostly by supporters and critics of candidates, not the candidates themselves. The mayor’s race, between incumbent Dee Dee Henriquez and city commissioner Sam Kaufman, has gotten the most contentious attention.
The mayor is elected by all Key West voters, while city commissioners are elected only by the voters in their designated district.
Kaufman’s campaign has requested additional public debates, states a May 15 campaign press release announcing weekly, live Q&A sessions with him.
In an April 29 letter to the mayor, Kaufman wrote, “As we approach the upcoming mayoral election, I believe it is important for the residents and business owners of Key West to hear directly from both of us about the issues facing our community.
“With that in mind, I respectfully invite you to participate in a public debate so voters can better understand our perspectives, priorities and plans for the future of our city. … We can work together on the format, timing and logistics.”
The letter asked the mayor to reply by May 5. The mayor did not respond.
When asked about it on Friday, May 15, Henriquez told the Keys Weekly, “(Kaufman) sent the email directly to me personally and to a city employee using a city email address during working hours, which ultimately required involvement from the city attorney to advise him that city email accounts should not be used for campaign-related communications with a city employee.
“Second, there is no reason to entertain his request for a debate when the obvious goal is simply to create a narrative if the request is declined. There will be more than enough opportunities for public forums and debates between now and August.
“I will continue focusing on the issues, the work being done for Key West and running a respectful campaign rather than participating in the negativity and personal attacks that have defined his smear campaign.”
CANDIDATE EVENTS
Friday, June 12
Meet the candidates, sponsored by Hometown
Tennessee Williams Theatre
Time TBD
Tuesday, June 23
Candidate forum, sponsored by the Key West Chamber of Commerce
Tennessee Williams Theatre
5 p.m.
Monday, July 13
Candidate forum, sponsored by Hometown
Tennessee Williams Theatre
Time TBD
Thursday, July 23
Candidate debate, sponsored by Lower Keys League of Women Voters
Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave., Key West
6 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 28
Candidate forum, sponsored by Hometown
Tennessee Williams Theatre
Time TBD
