Coerper, Potts Face Opponents in April 8 Alachua Election

ALACHUA ‒ The City of Alachua will hold its 2025 municipal election on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, to fill Seat 1 for Mayor and Seat 2 for City Commissioner. Incumbent Mayor Gib Coerper is seeking re-election and is being challenged by Walter Welch. Incumbent Edward Potts is being challenged by Jacob Fletcher as they vie for a three-year term ending in April 2028.

Coerper, retired, previously served as a commissioner from 1999-2002. He has been in his current seat since 2005 although Seat 1 was not designated as the mayoral seat until 2010. No one challenged Coerper for the mayoral seat in 2022. As of March 27, Coerper had raised $2,200 in monetary campaign contributions.

Walter Welch, who is challenging Coerper, is a newcomer to elected office, but he has previously served on an advisory taskforce board. Welch’s campaign finance reports show little activity, with only $425 in contributions as of February 20, but nothing since that time.

Ed Potts has been in Seat 2 on the commission since winning in the 2022 cycle. Prior to winning the election in 2022, Potts was a member of the City of Alachua Planning & Zoning Board. He is retired from the insurance and financial advisor industry. As of March 27, Potts raised $9,660 in monetary campaign contributions. Potts is being challenged by newcomer Jacob Fletcher, employed by the University of Florida. As of March 26, Fletcher raised $3,803 in monetary campaign contributions.

Polls will be open on Tuesday, April 8, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Legacy Park Multipurpose Center , Cleather Hathcock, Sr. Community Center and the Clubhouse at Turkey Creek.

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