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Incumbent and former mayor seek county commission seat in Latino-led district

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Incumbent and former mayor seek county commission seat in Latino-led district

GREENACRES — Voters in central Palm Beach County. elect a commissioner representing them for the first time since the district redrawn District 3 to give it a Latino majority.

Incumbents Michael Barnett, a Republican nominated to serve in 2023, and Joel Flores, a Democrat and former Greenacres mayor, are vying for the position, which has a four-year term and an annual salary of $113,600.

Hispanics are the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the county. As of 2022, nearly 45% of Greenacres’ population identifies as Hispanic; Palm Springs is 62%.

The new District 3 boundaries extend from Greenacres east to Palm Springs and parts of Lake Worth Beach. They also include Lake Clark Shores and parts of the West Palm Beach suburb.

Both Barnett and Flores address similar issues in their campaigns, chief among them the cost of housing and the lack of affordable housing in the area.

➤ 2024 Florida General Election Results

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Michael Barnett

Palm Beach County Commissioner Michael Barnett is calling for the Legislature to hold a special session to deal with the ramifications of a new law designed to keep apartment buildings safe.Palm Beach County Commissioner Michael Barnett is calling for the Legislature to hold a special session to deal with the ramifications of a new law designed to keep apartment buildings safe.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Michael Barnett is calling for the Legislature to hold a special session to deal with the ramifications of a new law designed to keep apartment buildings safe.

  • Age and place of residence: Barnett, 47, lives in Greenacres. He was born in New York and has lived in Palm Beach County since 1987, after living in Puerto Rico for a year.

  • Current work: District 3 commissioner is a position Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him to in 2023 after longtime Commissioner Dave Kerner took a job in Tallahassee. Barnett is also a personal injury lawyer in Shiner Law Group’s Boca Raton office.

  • Main priorities of the campaign: He wants to create more workforce and affordable housing to combat homelessness in the county. He is leading efforts to create a multicultural center in Greenacres.

  • Professional history: Barnett has practiced personal injury law for 17 years.

  • Political background: Before joining the commission, Barnett was chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party. He also served as vice chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. He holds office hours every month at Palm Springs Village Hall.

  • Education: He graduated from the University of Miami School of Law, received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Florida and an associate’s degree from Palm Beach State College.

  • Approvals: former President Donald Trump, Florida U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and Greenacres council members Peter Noble and Judy Dugo; Latino voting in the Palm Beach County PAC; Professional Firefighter and Paramedics, IAFF Local 2928; and the Police Benevolent Association.

  • Finance: Through July 29, Barnett had raised $175,915 and spent $113,571.

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Joel Flores

Joel Flores is the mayor of Greenacres, elected in March 2017.Joel Flores is the mayor of Greenacres, elected in March 2017.

Joel Flores is the mayor of Greenacres, elected in March 2017.

  • Age and place of residence: Flores, 42, lives in Greenacres. The Puerto Rican native moved with his family to Greenacres in 2010 when the U.S. Army deployed him to Afghanistan.

  • Current work: Flores works as a wealth management consultant and is a partner at Loggerhead Wealth Management.

  • Main priorities of the campaign: He wants to lower housing costs by using the county’s housing bonds to attract workforce and affordable apartments, and by creating jobs and economic development opportunities in the county. He also wants to improve infrastructure and traffic in the area.

  • Professional history: Flores is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan. Prior to joining Loggerhead Wealth Management, he served as Vice President of Business Development and Small Business Initiatives at the North Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce.

  • Political background: Mayor of Greenacres from 2017 to 2024.

  • Education: An MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and a BA from Lyndon State College.

  • Approvals: Flores’ campaign page lists endorsements from local leaders including Greenacres Mayor Chuck Shaw and council members Susie Diaz and Paula Bousquet; Palm Beach County School Board members Alejandra Ayala and Erica Whitfield; Wellington councilors John McGovern and Maria Antuña; U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel; and State Representatives Catherine Waldron and David Silvers. He has also received support from the Palm Beach County Economic Council, the Latino Victory Fund, VoteVets and the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.

  • Finance: Through July 29, Flores had raised $150,789 and spent $83,855.

Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Greenacres, Palm Springs and other western Palm Beach County communities for The Palm Beach Post. Write to her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared in the Palm Beach Post: 2024 Election Results: Palm Beach County Commissioner District 3