Juno Beach Mayor Peggy Wheeler is withdrawing from the upcoming town mayoral race after she says she successfully recruited former council member Elaine Cotronakis to run instead.
Wheeler made the announcement in a newsletter sent out on Nov. 19, a day after the qualifying period for elections closed with Cotronakis officially on the ballot. Newcomer Dave Santilli also is seeking the mayor’s seat, having filed his paperwork with the town clerk Nov. 17.
Wheeler said in her announcement that she had been considering stepping back from the council. Still, she filed paperwork beginning Nov. 5, to run for mayor, intending to continue to serve if no one else joined the race, according to the announcement.
“My hope all along, however, was to have a candidate who could carry on the work of protecting our town and our citizens with the same dedication I have worked hard to uphold,” wrote Wheeler, 67, in the newsletter.
The town clerk reported Nov. 20 that she had not yet received Wheeler’s letter of withdrawal.
In a written statement to The Palm Beach Post, Cotronakis said, “I decided to run, and I appreciate Mayor Wheeler’s confidence and support. … I’m committed to serving our community and getting things done, and like many of our residents, I believe our Council needs to get back to governing with civility and respect. We can disagree without being disagreeable.”
Former council member Elaine Cotronakis runs for mayor
Wheeler said she recently asked Cotronakis to consider running for mayor. In an email to The Palm Beach Post she said she’d served alongside Cotronakis for three years and Wheeler found her to be “someone you can trust to present the facts” and who would put “the best interests of the town and our citizens first.”
Cotronakis filed to run in the morning on Nov. 18 — just hours before the town’s qualifying period ended, records show.
That’s when Wheeler said she decided to withdraw from the race.
Wheeler said she wants “to focus on some of my own personal goals and to decide on the next phase of my life, especially after the passing of my husband two years ago.” She said that serving as mayor has been one of the greatest honors of her life.
Wheeler’s term ends in March. An election March 10 will determine who will serve as mayor for the next two years and who will fill town council seats 1 and 3, which carry three-year terms.
Wheeler has served on the town council for about nine years and has lived in Juno Beach for 25 years. Cotronakis, 54, previously served roughly three years on the council before resigning in December 2023. She has lived in Juno Beach for more than 15 years.
Cotronakis said she chose to leave before her term was up because she wanted to work with the American Hellenic Institute — which involved travel — and she helped plan her son’s wedding. She said that as mayor, she wants to prioritize fiscal responsibility, manage growth, prevent overdevelopment, support town staff and protect the environment and Juno Beach’s small-town charm.
Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Juno mayor’s race sees incumbent withdrawal after recruiting alternate
Reporting by Maya Washburn, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
