Safety Harbor voters will have a decision to make in March on who will represent them on the City Commission.
Candidate qualifying period for the 2026 municipal election ended Dec. 8.
Mayor Joe Ayoub ran unopposed and will continue serving the city for an additional three-year term.
Two candidates qualified for Seat 4 on the commission: David Gallagher and Kevin Shanks.
They will be facing off to replace Commissioner Carlos Diaz, who is not seeking reelection.
Ayoub is in his second stint as mayor. He held the post in 2013-14. He regained the post in March 2017 and has held it since.
He is president of J.S. Ayoub & Associates and is a certified public accountant.
“I am truly humbled by the trust this community continues to place in me,” Ayoub said in a statement on his Facebook page. “I remain committed to working hard every day to keep Safety Harbor one of the best cities in the state — and the country. And to those who may not support me, I want you to know that my door is always open. I welcome your feedback, your ideas, and your perspective. We are all neighbors, and our city is strongest when we work together.”
The City Commission race will be between Gallagher and Shanks.
According to his campaign Facebook page, Gallagher and his wife have two children and have been residents of Safety Harbor for the past 30 years.
“I have owned a business, led sales organizations, and been an active member on multiple local boards over the years including educational, nonprofit, and church,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “I am running on the pillars of accountability and financial stability, efficiency, and green spaces.”
Shanks, who is also married with two children, has lived in the city for a decade.
“As both a downtown business owner and a parent raising my 3- and 5-year-old kids here, I believe I’m uniquely positioned to help balance our small-town charm with a strong, thriving business community,” Shanks wrote on his campaign website. “I hold a degree in economics from the University of Illinois, and I’m ready to put that experience to work for our city. I’m running to help keep Safety Harbor a special place for generations, so my own grandchildren — and yours — can cherish it the way I always have.”
The election will be held Tuesday, March 10. The last day to register to vote is Monday, Feb. 9.
Residents can learn more about the candidates at a forum 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15. It will be held in the second-floor meeting room of the Safety Harbor Public Library, 101 Second St. N. A meet-and-greet will be held before the forum at 6:30 p.m.