McDuffie wins mayor's race; Arts loses in Boca Raton

By Palm Beach Business.com Staff

DELRAY BEACH — Woody McDuffie is Delray Beach’s new mayor, defeating Chuck Halberg in Tuesday’s election by nearly 700 votes.

McDuffie, an incumbent city commissioner, received 2,908 votes, or 57 percent of the total;  Halberg, a contractor and member of the city’s planning and zoning board, won 2,186 votes or 43 percent. That total was with 46 of 47 precincts counted, according to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections office.

Also Tuesday, incumbent Commissioner Gary Eliopoulos easily won another two-year term, defeating Shelly Petrolia by 3,091, or 61 percent, to 1,944, or 39 percent.

Lawyer Adam Frankel won the seat vacated by McDuffie, defeating Joe Ferrer 2,838, or 57 percent, to 2,162, or 43 percent.

McDuffie will replace Rita Ellis, who decided against running for a second two-year term because of health reasons.

Mackenson Bernard won election to the commission when a challenger failed to meet signature requirements to get his name on the ballot. Commissioners appointed Bernard to the seat, made empty by the resignation of Brenda Montague last summer.

Fred Fetzer is the other commission member.

Both McDuffy and Halberg ran aggressive campaigns. Halberg attempted to link McDuffie to disgraced former county Commissioner Mary McCarty, while McDuffy painted Halberg as inexperienced and ethically challenged because of his work as a contractor while holding a seat on the planning and zoning board.

In other South County races, Constance Scott defeated Mitch Fogel 3,541 to 2,796 for a seat on the Boca Raton City Council.

Incumbent M.J. “Mike” Arts lost his bid for a second term on the Boca council, losing to Anthony Majhess 3,409 to 2,969. Arts is the retired president of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.