Rejecting their parks and recreation director’s recommendation, Wildwood commissioners voted 3-2 Monday to allow political organizations to have booths at the city’s July 3 Happy Birthday America event.

About 20 people, representing both Republican and Democrat political organizations, attended the meeting and many spoke against the proposed restriction.

Happy Birthday America will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, July 3, at the Wildwood Community Center, 6500 Powell Road. The free event includes vendors, a kids’ zone, giveaways, a cash bar and a professional fireworks display.

“In the interest of maintaining political neutrality, the Parks and Recreation Department would like to refrain from hosting political groups or organizations of any affiliation at the city’s special events,” Parks and Recreation Director Courtney Kellum told commissioners. “We want the Happy Birthday America event to be about celebrating our country’s independence and uplifting each other.”

Mayor Ed Wolf said Wildwood and Sumter County haven’t experienced the political violence in other parts of the country.

He supported allowing political organizations to participate, along with commissioners Joe Elliott and Marco Flores.

“I appreciate where you’re coming from,” he told Kellum. “I think until it becomes a problem, we can work with it.”

Instead of banning political groups, Elliott said the city needs to clarify behavioral standards.

“I encourage us to put together the rules and regulations that govern the behavior at events held on city property,” he said.

Although apparently no incidents of political harassment have been reported in Wildwood, Commissioner Pamala Harrison-Bivins said that doesn’t mean they haven’t happened.

Harrison-Bivins, who voted with Commissioner Julian Green to ban political organizations, said someone once spit at her after she attended a Democratic Party event.

“Could this lead to something else other than spitting at me?” she asked.

Green said the nation’s deep political divisions could spur harassment or violence.

“If there’s a way to prevent that, I support it,” he said. “We don’t want to wait until something happens.”

Before the vote, local political leaders asked commissioners to allow their organizations to have booths at the celebration.

“Both Republican and Democrat organizations have always been able to participate in events, always without incident,” said Samantha Scott, chairwoman of the Sumter County Republican Party.

Bryan Kennedy, president of the Republican Assembly of Sumter County, said celebrating Independence Day is a way to remember our nation’s early struggles.

“Blocking any political group from participating in the Independence Day celebration is unconscionable.”

Bob Greene, a Republican state committeeman, described banning political groups as “a solution without a problem.”

Democratic Party state committee member Bob Berg said he also supported allowing political groups.

“We don’t often agree with our Republican friends, but on this issue, we do,” he said.