It’s Official: Parkland Mayor Michael Udine Quits To Run For Stacy Ritter’s Seat

[reposting from 6/7 – technical error kept story from being emailed] It’s official.

Stacy Ritter has officially resigned, ending her 20-year-career in politics. She started her new job, executive director of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, this week.

Parkland Mayor Michael Udine, her probable replacement in Commission District 3, also resigned officially as of November 2 at 11:59 p.m.  State law ( F.S. 99.012) requires him to irrevocably resign before taking any new office.

A lawyer who graduated from the University of Florida Law School in 1989, Udine has had his own firm since 1991 with an emphasis in insurance and real estate law.  He was elected to the Parkland City Commission in March 2003.  He was elected mayor in March 2006.

Udine raised an amazing $135,000 from roughly 250 contributors during his first month of campaigning in May. The only other Democrat in the race, Raymark Clement, has $1,457 in contributions since late last year, this despite the plea on his website for donations up to $3,000 which is three times the legal $1,000 limit.