Candidate Profile: City of Palmetto Ward 1: Mary Lancaster

City of Palmetto: Ward 1

Candidate: Mary Lee Lancaster (Incumbent)

Age: 75

Occupation: Retired from working in Raymond James and Associates, a financial investment firm.

Annual income: $15, 200.

Education: GED, bookkeeping courses at the former Manatee Junior College (now State College of Florida).

Lancaster is no stranger to office – she has been on the Palmetto city commission for nearly 15 years.

She has fielded phone calls from upset constituents, saw Palmetto grow and weathered numerous changes on the commission. She has no plans to stop anytime soon.

“You can’t say you’re doing it for the money because the pay is not good at all,” she said. “I take every call I get seriously. I don’t think it’s a stupid call or a crazy call because if they care enough to call, they think it is important.”

Born in Tampa, Lancaster moved to Palmetto when she was in sixth grade, she said. She attended Lincoln Memorial High School.

She first ran for office in 1997.

“I lived in an area where there are a lot of needs and they are not being met,” she said. “Not that I am a political person, I just felt that needs aren’t being met and I tried to find someone to run but couldn’t find anyone so I ran myself.”

Lancaster has much vested in the city, there are city redevelopment projects and home rehabilitation programs under the CRA that she wants to see through. Palmetto is on the move and she wants to be a part of it.

“When you run and win, …you are there to serve the people,” she said. “That is what I try to do to the best of my ability.”

Lancaster lives with her son. She has nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren. A campaign finance report is available here.