Pendergrass eyes Supervisor of Elections Office
Incumbent supervisor, Tommy Doyle, has announced intent to retire mid-term in January
Lee County District 2 Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass, who was appointed chair of the Lee County Board of County Commissioners this week, has expressed interest in being the next Lee County Supervisor of Elections.
The position will became available with Lee County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle announcing Wednesday that he will be retiring Jan. 14 in the middle of his term. Doyle, who has served as Lee County Supervisor of Elections since 2016, cited a health issue earlier this year in leading him to the decision to step down.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has the sole authority to name a replacement for Doyle.
Pendergrass, a lifelong Fort Myers resident, is the longest-serving member of the Lee County Board of County Commissioners. Pendergrass has served on the commission since 2012. He spent 25 years with the City of Fort Myers Police Department before retiring in 2009.
“Tommy has done a great job,” Pendergrass said. “It’s a very important job and office in our community. We want every vote to count. The last few elections have been very smooth, accurate elections.”
Pendergrass is currently an alternate on the Lee County Canvassing Board for the Lee County Supervisor of Elections.
If Pendergrass is appointed by DeSantis to fill Doyle’s seat, it would leave two vacant positions on the Lee County Board of County Commissioners currently. The office of the late Commissioner Mike Greenwell has been vacant since his death in October.
The person appointed to be the next Supervisor of Elections, would have to run in November of 2026 to retain the seat through 2028.
Doyle was elected to a four-term last year.
The seat on the Lee County Board of County Commissioners that Pendergrass holds is up for election in November of 2026. He ran unopposed for the office in 2022.
To reach NATHAN MAYBERG, please email nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com