2 Council Seats Up For Election; Voters Head To Polls Tuesday

CLEARWATER, FL — Clearwater voters will head to the polls Tuesday to elect two city council members.

Running against incumbent David Albritton for Seat 4 on the council are Maranda Douglas and Gerry Lee.

Vying for Seat 5 on the council are Aaron Smith-Levin, Lina Teixeira and Jonathan Wade Sr.

Among the major issue concerning Clearwater voters is whether the candidates are members of or supported by the Church of Scientology, which has its international headquarters in Clearwater. Since locating its headquarters in Clearwater in 1975, the controversial Church of Scientology has purchased more than 185 properties in downtown Clearwater.

Residents who object to the church's beliefs and teachings fear the church intends to take over the city and place its members in appointed and elected leadership positions.

Smith-Levin left the Church of Scientology in 2014 and is now an outspoken critic of the church.

His personal story was told on the A&E series, "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath."

He has accused his opponent, Teixeira, of being a Scientology sympathizer because she previously served on the Downtown Development Board, an advisory panel whose seven members are elected by downtown property owners. Currently, five of the seven members of the panel belong to the Church of Scientology.

Texeira, a Catholic, denies Smith-Levin's accusations, noting that she stepped down from the panel in 2019 because she was uncomfortable with the fact that a majority of members represented a single interest group.

Smith-Levin also pointed to Texeira's involvement with the Clearwater Downtown Partnership. Texeira serves as co-chair of the private nonprofit group of business owners. Among the members of the partnership's board of directors is Lisa Mansell, who works for the Church of Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs.

At the time she became involved with the partnership, she owned the Pour Yours wine bar on Cleveland Street and had a strong interest in promoting downtown businesses, she said.

She has since sold the wine bar, but continues to run an art studio in downtown Clearwater.

Also running for Seat 5 is Wade, pastor of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Click here for the candidates' campaign filings.

All council members are elected at large and serve four-year terms.

Voters can learn more about the candidates and their platforms by watching videotapes of the February candidates forums below:

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Residents can find their polling places by calling the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections at 727-464-VOTE (464-8683) or by clicking here.

As a reminder to voters, the Clearwater Main Library is not a polling place for the Tuesday, March 15 elections.