Are You Going To Vote
February 6, 2022
Updated 2/7/2022 Received a response from Commissioner Shoaf and have updated the story. My apologies to Commissioner Shoaf and readers.
The PB Post has an article in Sunday’s paper (2-6-2022) concerning all upcoming elections to be held March 8, 2022, below are excerpts and the entire story can be read below and includes hours to vote, where to vote and good info on mail-in ballots.
“One City Commission race will be decided by voters of West Palm Beach, where just shy of 70,000 voters are eligible.
Two candidates have emerged to fill the District 1 seat, currently held by Commissioner Kelly Shoaf. Pastor and perennial candidate Martina Tate Walker faces attorney Cathleen Ward. Shoaf is not seeking re-election.”
This election was not off to a good start, and I ask readers to note the Qualifying dates. I have enclosed the link to the City Clerk Election Information and can be read below. The cut off date to qualify was 12:00 noon on 11/16/2021.
Kelly Shoat-Incumbent-Qualified 11/2/2021-Withdrew 11/16/2021
Martina Tate Walker-Qualified 11/12/2021
Cathleen Ward-Qualified 11/16/2021 (within 30 min. of Shoaf’s withdrawal)
If Ms. Walker had not entered the race and qualified, the race would have been between Shoaf and Ward. Shoaf decides at the last minute not to seek re-election and Ward is declared the winner, and no election is needed, and if a resident in District 1 was interested in the seat that’s unfortunate not enough time to qualify.
As you read above WPB has 70,000 registered voters, unfortunately not enough voters take the time to vote in city elections and according to the Supervisor of Election office for City Commission seat in 2020, 14,172 bothered to vote. That’s shameful.
WPB went from Single District voting to City Wide Elections and in my opinion voters made a mistake for the simple reason District 4, Located in the western community protected by walls and private security turn out the numbers of registered voters and pick commissioners in your district 1,2,3,& 5.
If you are happy with WPB and the direction they are moving forward with construction, so residents can’t exit their garage due to traffic congestion, don’t vote. If you are not bothered with the shootings and crime, don’t vote. If you are not concerned with being unable to afford to rent an affordable apartment, don’t vote. If the contaminated water is not an issue with you, don’t vote. If you are not bothered with city leaders giving our city to developers and meeting their needs, not concerned with neighborhood needs. Don’t vote. If your OK with commissioner’s not challenging Mayor James. Don’t vote.
I received the flyer for Cathleen Ward and looking at her endorsements by Mayor Keith James and 4 City Commissioners Fox, Lambert, Peduzzi and Shoaf speaks volumes to me and hopefully you too. No endorsement from Commissioner District 2 Shalonda Warren. That talks to me also. Every one in the picture, with the exception of Commissioner Shoaf, uses Rick Asnani Cornerstone Solutions as their political consultant. If Ward is elected Cornerstone will represent the Mayor and all City Commissioners.
You will not see yard signs, t-shirts or flyers asking for your vote for Martina Tate Walker for one reason she has no money to purchase the items. Chamber of Commerce, Developers, Attorney’s have donated thousands to the Ward campaign.
Martina Tate Walker if elected will be sworn in and not be indebted to no one except the people who voted her into office. Below is a story published in WPB Watch in March 2018 as an introduction to her. Please take the time to read it.
In closing I will share a story with readers. I had a phone call from a friend who asked me what I knew about Walker, and I sent him the story “Who is Martina Tate Walker.” He called me back and said it appears God is the only one who ever heard of her. My response: Sometime God is all you need.
Meet Martina Tate Walker.
https://wpbwatch.com/2018/03/who-is-martina-tate-walker/
WPB City Clerk Election Information.
https://www.wpb.org/government/city-clerk/elections-information/2019-2020-election-information
PB Post story published 2/6/2022.
The end