Incumbent Sumter County Commissioner Al Butler made it official on Monday.
The Village of Bridgeport at Lake Sumter resident officially filed paperwork with the Sumter County Supervisor of Elections Office indicating he will seek another term in office.
Villager Gary Search last year filed paperwork to run as a Republican against Butler, who has long been active in GOP politics in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
Village of Osceola Hills resident Larry Green has also filed paperwork with the Sumter County Supervisor of Elections Office indicating he also will be running as an independent for Butler’s District 1 seat.
Last year’s decision by the Sumter Commission to raise property taxes by 25 percent prompted Search and Green to run for office. Others wondered if Butler would seek another term after several public lashings over the tax increase.
Incumbent Commissioner Steve Printz filed paperwork last year indicating he will be seeking another term. The Republican has drawn three fellow Republican challengers from The Villages, Charles Kasner, Daniel Myslakowski and Oren Miller.
Incumbent Don Burgess of the Village of Bonnybrook has not indicated whether he will run again. Villager Craig Estep, a Community Development District 1 supervisor, has filed paperwork to run for the seat currently held by Burgess. Estep turned around his petitions in record time.