JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s still unclear if the city will issue a permit for the Donna Foundation Mother’s Day 5k race set to take place before next month’s election.
The annual race, which was set to take place again on May 13, is being asked by the city of Jacksonville to find a different date for its race this year.
City officials said that with Donna Deegan, the founder and namesake of the Donna Foundation charity, currently running for mayor of Jacksonville, it would not be appropriate for the foundation’s 5K race to take place while early voting is underway and the May election is just days away on May 16.
The Donna Foundation has been encouraged to reschedule the race outside of the voting period.
Deegan, a Democrat, is running for mayor against Republican Daniel Davis.
Political observers said the back-and-forth over the race is already having an impact. But some told News4JAX it’s not impacting their decision.
News4JAX spoke with voters on Thursday about the situation involving the race and if holding it before an election is a concern.
“Personally, I don’t think it’s an issue. I don’t even support her, but I would not be upset about it,” said voter Christine Hatt.
News4JAX asked readers if the fact that the city is suggesting the run be moved until after the election concerns them.
“Absolutely not! The race for mayor has nothing to do with the race for Mother’s Day. It’s financially absurd to move a pre-planned event,” Patrick Miko said.
“Not really, but I do understand it. I would like to see both candidates run in it and come together instead of all the negative ads,” another reader said.
“It should be moved to after Mother’s Day in order to eliminate any traces of improprieties. The city should not issue a permit,” another reader said.
But the mayor’s office is worried about how the public perceives this and whether it shows support for Deegan. That is why they wanted the foundation to delay it a week to the Saturday after the election. News4JAX Political Analyst Rick Mullaney said bringing up the question in the first place is actually doing more harm.
“I’m confident it was not the intention of City Hall to create this appearance problem,” Mullaney said. “But the request to move the date may have contributed to the very appearance problem. They’re talking about the appearance problem being that City Hall that the City of Jacksonville is improperly influencing the election.”
Some city council members like Matt Carlucci have concerns about this and said this is much more than political games.
“You know not too long ago, I called it the ‘silly season,’” Carlucci said. “Politics is that. It’s not as silly as it used to be and has become more serious. It’s become more vindictive, it’s become more strategic. And it’s become more unfair.”
Carlucci has been involved in mayor’s races before. In 2003 he was one of those running for that office when John Peyton was first elected mayor and during that campaign, there was another race a month before the election, the Gate River Run. John Peyton’s family owns Gate Petroleum, the title sponsor of the event. At that time John Delaney was mayor and there was no a public concern then about the permit for that race. On Thursday, both Peyton and Delaney had no comment concerning the current situation.
Looking at city rules, permitting is supposed to take place 90 days before an event. The Donna race request was put in 50 days before but the rule is not set in stone. If its late the city can decide to allow it which they’ve done in the past as long as it gets approval from the sheriff and other agencies that this race has.
