Port St. Lucie Mayor Shannon Martin will face Steven Giordano in the Nov. 3 general election, as neither candidate received 50% plus one vote in the Aug. 18 primary election, according to the final but unofficial results.
Martin got 47.97% of the vote, besting Steven Giordano, who had 35.16%, and Eric Strazzeri, who had 16.87%. Steve Harrington filed to run, but did not qualify.
Martin is the young and growing city’s 15th mayor, first elected in a September 2021 special election when Mayor Greg Oravec resigned before his term ended November 2022. That year, she was reelected with 63% of the vote against three men who challenged her.
Martin first was elected to the City Council District 3 seat in 2010 and served as vice mayor from 2016-21.
The mayor is nonpartisan, serves a four-year term, and there are no term limits.
Here’s a snapshot of all three candidates:
TCPalm Editorial Board: Recommended incumbent Port St. Lucie Mayor Shannon Martin
TCPalm candidate questionnaire: See what all the Port St. Lucie mayoral candidates said
Shannon Martin
Martin, 54, a former paralegal, is board chair of the St. Lucie County Fire District and the Humane Society of St. Lucie County, and she serves on the boards of the St. Lucie County Transportation Planning Organization, St. Lucie County Council on Aging and Florida Coast Medical Center. She said her top three priorities are:
Planning growth responsibly by investing in roads, utilities, parks, public safety and infrastructure while protecting the character of our neighborhoods and preserving green space.
Public safety and fiscal responsibility by supporting police officers and firefighters, investing in public safety facilities and equipment, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and transparently.
Continue improving residents’ daily lives by creating quality jobs, reducing traffic congestion, expanding recreational opportunities and ensuring the city is a great place to live, work and raise a family.
“Over the past several years, we have made tremendous progress by keeping Port St. Lucie one of the safest cities in Florida, lowering the city’s tax rate for 10 consecutive years, investing in critical infrastructure, expanding parks and recreational opportunities and strengthening our financial position,” she said. “Serving as mayor has been a great honor, and while I am proud of what we have accomplished together, there is still important work to do.”
Steven Giordano
Giordano, 44, said he’s been a Realtor, investor, general contracting business owner and Florida Power & Light St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant security officer. He resigned in 2024 to run for St. Lucie County sheriff, but Richard Del Toro won.
He said his top three priorities are restoring transparency and accountability at City Hall; easing taxes, traffic and trash collection; putting residents first in smart growth and a better quality of life.
“I’m not a career politician. I’m a lifelong Port St. Lucie resident who grew up here, raised a family here, built businesses here, and served this community in public safety for nearly 20 years,” he said. “I believe government should work for the people, not special interests.”
Eric Strazzeri
Strazzeri, 45, a political newcomer, is a retired Army veteran who transitioned into the technology industry. He said he led the development and operation of security operations centers at major corporations.
He said his three priorities are to ensure responsible growth and infrastructure readiness; strengthen fiscal responsibility and reduce debt; and increase transparency, accessibility and citizen engagement.
“I believe Port St. Lucie can become one of the premier cities in Florida by embracing innovation, modernizing city operations, investing in infrastructure, leveraging technology and planning responsibly for growth,” he said.
Tim O’Hara is TCPalm’s St. Lucie watchdog, environment and fisheries reporter. Contact him at tim.ohara@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Port St. Lucie mayor election heads to Nov. 3 runoff