It’s Election Day in Seminole, and it’s a test for Leslie Waters’ long record of public service

It’s Election Day in Seminole, where longtime Mayor Leslie Waters is facing challenger Marcus Barber in a race that pits decades of government experience against a first-time candidate running on a message of community service and small-town pride.

Waters, a fixture in Seminole politics since 2009, is seeking another term leading the city of roughly 19,000 residents in central Pinellas County. Before becoming Mayor in 2013, she served as a City Council member, Vice Mayor and interim Mayor.

Before her time with the city, she spent eight years in the Florida House, where she rose to Speaker Pro Tempore and chaired key committees on transportation and insurance.

Her local résumé is extensive, including work with the Florida League of Cities, the Pinellas County Mayors’ Council and a long list of civic causes. Waters is active in numerous community drives and volunteer programs, including the Seminole Interfaith Food Pantry, Relay for Life, the Salvation Army’s annual “Ring with the Mayor” campaign, and the city’s Socks and Soup drive.

Waters has also been involved with local organizations such as the Seminole Historical Society, the Chamber of Commerce and Friends of the Library, and she authored a book on the workings of local government called “Good Morning Mayor, What’s Up?”

Barber, a Seminole native and U.S. Navy veteran, is challenging Waters on a message centered around safety, small-business support and civic kindness. He served 20 years in the military as a helicopter crew chief and rescue swimmer, and in 2018, he founded Revive In Time CPR in Seminole to teach life-saving skills to residents across Pinellas County.

His campaign emphasizes emergency preparedness, business mentorship and anti-bullying initiatives for youth.

Barber served as a Code Enforcement Officer for the city from 2021 to 2024 and sits on the boards of the Greater Seminole Area Chamber of Commerce and American Legion Post 273. He’s received community awards for heroism and business excellence, including the 2024 Good Samaritan Award from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office for saving a life through CPR.

As of Election Day morning, the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections had received 2,249 vote-by-mail ballots, including 788 from Democrats, 995 from Republicans, 423 from no-party voters and 43 from others. There is no early voting for the city’s municipal election, meaning turnout on Tuesday will determine whether Seminole stays the course with a veteran Mayor or opts for a new face with a military background and local business roots.

Polls close at 7 p.m.