PALM COAST, Fla. – Flagler County Commissioner Andy Dance has officially filed to seek a second term in his seat, according to the Supervisor of Elections website. One of Flagler County’s most experienced elected officials, Dance has held office almost completely without interruption since he was first elected to the Flagler School Board in 2008. If he serves another full term, he’ll be a 20-year veteran of public office in Flagler County.
Dance’s first campaign for the County Commission came in 2020 after he resigned from his School Board seat halfway through a term, to the surprise of some of his colleagues. Colleen Conklin in particular was saddened by Dance’s departure, having served with him at that point for pushing twelve years. The remainder of his term was filled out by Jill Woolbright, one of the Board’s most outspoken recent members who was subsequently bested by challenger Sally Hunt in 2022.
Dance ran for the District 1 seat on the County Commission as a Republican following the decision by the late Charlie Ericksen not to pursue another term. Whereas on the School Board he often ran without opposition, he went up against Corinne Hermle in 2020. Hermle, a Democrat who’s also run for Palm Coast City Council, fell well short of Dance in the general election. As of now he is the only filed candidate for his seat in next year’s election.
The manner with which Dance has executed his job on the County Commission has been in some ways similar to how he was on the School Board: measured, moderate, and analytical. Likely the most noteworthy moment of his first term came in March last year, when Dance was the only commissioner who emphatically supported raising the county’s impact fees to pay for improvements to the school district. With all four other commissioners almost searching for reasons to stymie a significant increase, Dance’s preparedness and articulateness gave his colleagues little cover to hold out on voting for the increase. It passed unanimously.
Overall, Dance is the sixth candidate to file for one County Commission seat or another. He joins District 3 candidates Kim Carney, William H. Clark, and Tom Hutson, as well as District 5 candidates Victor Barbosa and Ed Danko. Sitting Palm Coast City Council member Nick Klufas is also expected to file for District 3.
