MARTIN COUNTY, Fla (CBS12) — Martin County voters will head to the polls Tuesday to decide who will replace Commissioner Stacey Hetherington in the open District 2 County Commission seat.
CBS12’s Paige Meyer reports.
Three Republicans — Christopher “Doc” Collins, Susan O’Rourke and Althea Wiley — are seeking the seat after Hetherington decided not to run for re-election. With no Democratic candidate in the race, the contest is being held as a Universal Primary Contest, allowing registered Martin County voters to participate regardless of party affiliation.
Three candidates face off for open Martin County District 2commission seat
Candidates pictured left to right — Susan O’Rourke, AltheaWiley and former Stuart Mayor Christopher “Doc” Collins.
The race has centered largely on growth, traffic, affordability and the future of the proposed Brightline passenger rail station in Stuart.
Collins, a chiropractor and former Stuart city commissioner and mayor, stepped down from the City Commission earlier this year to run for county office. Stuart’s city charter required him to resign before qualifying for another elected position.
During his time on the City Commission, Collins joined two other commissioners in voting to rescind Stuart’s agreement with Brightline for a downtown train station. He has made slow growth a central issue in his County Commission campaign, calling for tighter restrictions on new development.
In December of 2023 the county and city had both agreed to bring the Brightline station to the area, but the decision shifted after two new commissioners were elected in August of 2024. (WPEC)
The Brightline project is expected to remain an issue for the next commissioner. Plans have called for a roughly 10,200-square-foot station, a 660-foot platform, parking and other rail infrastructure, with completion targeted for 2029. Martin County has sought $69.3 million in federal funding for the project, and the County Commission is expected to play a role in determining how it moves forward.
O’Rourke, a former traffic engineer who previously served on Stuart’s Local Planning Agency, has also focused her campaign on managing growth and its impact on traffic. She has operated her own engineering business and worked in real estate, saying her transportation background gives her experience to address congestion and development concerns.
Martin County is partnering with Brightline to request $69.3 million in Federal-State Partnership funding from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to build a Brightline rail station in Stuart. (Martin County)
Her candidacy became the subject of a legal dispute earlier this year when Collins filed a challenge seeking to have her removed from the ballot. Collins argued O’Rourke was not legally a Martin County resident when she qualified to run.
A judge dismissed the challenge in July and ruled that O’Rourke could remain on the ballot. O’Rourke currently lives in County Commission District 1 rather than District 2 and would need to establish residency in District 2 before taking office if elected.
Wiley, an author, Realtor and chef, has framed her campaign around giving everyday residents a stronger voice in county government. She has made affordability her top priority, pointing to rising housing costs and other everyday expenses facing Martin County residents.
The election comes as the county continues to grapple with questions surrounding development, transportation and the cost of living, issues all three candidates have highlighted during the campaign.
Polls will be open Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.