Mac Fuller News Today

A onetime New York journalist, adjunct professor of journalism and English teacher, A.C. Fuller now writes stories about the media, politics and technology. “The Crime Beat: Episode 1 New York,”

3 incumbents lose their seats in Polk municipal elections Tuesday Three incumbents lost their seats in Tuesdays municipal election involving six cities in Polk. In Bartow, incumbent Commissioner James Clements was ousted in the election for at-large Seat 1, grabbing only 24.07% of the vote compared with 52.75% for the winner, Tanya Tucker. Sal Carter took 16.39% of the vote and Charlie Bittinger 6.8%. In Dundee, Commissioner Rukhsana Harper received 35.96% of the vote, losing to Mary Richardso...

Lake Alfred The town of Lake Alfred had two seats up for grabs on the ballot — City Commission Seats 3 and 4. Three candidates were on the list for the two at-large seats, including Nancy Z. Daley. Daley took one of the seats with 42.93% of the vote. She has served on the Lake Alfred City Commission for 10 years including four terms as mayor and four terms as vice mayor. The other seat was taken by Mac Fuller, who will replace Charles Lake, who did not seek reelection. Fuller earned 35.54%...

Commission seat results  Lakeland held a special election to fill the remainder of the term for the Southeast Lakeland seat vacated by Franklin, who was elected to represent District 15 in the U.S. House of Representatives in November.  None of the four candidates broke the 50% threshold needed to secure the seat, and the top two vote-getters, Musick and Terrell, will advance to a May 4 runoff to compete for the seat. Terrell received 39.74% of the vote and Musick 33.65%.  Candidate Steven ...

Six cities in Polk County will hold municipal elections Tuesday. Voters in Bartow, Dundee, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Wales and Lakeland will cast ballots to decide city commission races. Two elections are on the ballot in Lake Wales and one in each of the other cities. Residents of Lake Alfred and Lake Wales will also vote on proposed amendments to their cities’ charters. Lakeland is holding a special election to fill an opening created when former City Commissioner Scott Franklin was el...

Dundee Town Commission Incumbent Rukhsana Harper will face pastor Mary Richardson in the battle to keep her seat on the Dundee Town Commission.  Harper, 44, is registered to vote in Polk County but is not attached to a specific political party. She was originally appointed by the commission to her seat in 2017 and later won a runoff election to secure her place.  "For me, its a service. Im serving the community," Harper said. "If I am allowed to do four more years of it, I will do it."  Whe...