The Florida Democratic Party has announced 19 candidates in its expanded “Take Back Local” initiative.

The Florida Democratic Party on Thursday unveiled a list of 19 candidates running for local offices in its expanded “Take Back Local” initiative, part of a broader effort to increase Democratic representation in key local elections ahead of November 2024.

The new slate includes candidates for school boards, county commissions, state attorney, and supervisor of elections races, as Democrats seek to strengthen their influence at the local level across the state.

Among those endorsed for school board seats are Hank Rogers (Duval County, District 5), Sheridan Chester (Lee County, District 7), Heather Felton (Manatee County, District 1), Joe Geller (Miami-Dade County, District 3), Max Tuchman (Miami-Dade County, District 7), Anne Douglas (Orange County, District 4), Stephanie Arguello (Seminole County, District 3), and Carl Persis (Volusia County, District 4).

In county commission races, the party is backing Anna Prizzia (Alachua County, District 3), Patricia Alonzo (Hillsborough County, District 2), Nicole Payne (Hillsborough County, District 4), Sean Shaw (Hillsborough County, District 6), Cindy Lerner (Miami-Dade County, District 7), Nicole Wilson (Orange County, District 1), Kelly Semrad (Orange County, District 5), Joel Flores (Palm Beach County, District 3), and Christopher Dzadovsky (St. Lucie County, District 1).

Ron Saunders has been endorsed for Monroe County Supervisor of Elections, and Alexcia Cox is the Democratic candidate for Palm Beach County State Attorney.

The announcement follows an earlier phase of the “Take Back Local” program during the August primary elections, in which seven of 11 endorsed candidates won their races, while two others advanced to runoffs. The expanded effort will focus on competitive local contests, with an emphasis on grassroots organizing and fundraising.

“In August, Florida Democrats showed that voters are growing tired of divisive culture wars,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “With strong investment and grassroots efforts, we believe Democrats can make significant gains in Florida. That’s why we’re expanding the ‘Take Back Local’ program to include more diverse candidates and a broader range of offices.”

The initiative is launched as the Florida Democratic Party attempt to build momentum on the back of surprise wins in the Jacksonville mayoral race (Donna Deegan) and in House District 35 (Rep. Tom Keen). Despite the victories, the Republican Party of Florida has surpassed the Democratic Party in voter registrations by more than one million. In amassing the registration lead, the state GOP has flipped several counties and made gains in populous regions like Hillsborough and Duval Counties.