McCarley, 54, overcame three challengers to win 50.3% of the vote. Cedric Valrie received 19.5%, Kay Klymko 17.3% and Kaitlin Gracie Kramer 13%.
About 19% of Lakeland’s 62,600 voters cast ballots. Many who voted by mail in recent years went to the polls in person after discovering that their mail-in ballot requests had expired.
Well-funded campaign
McCarley, who has been on the City Commission since January 2019, ran a sophisticated, well-organized campaign after amassing the largest campaign war chest in Lakeland history. She raised $91,625 and spent $70,038, according to the latest finance report filed Oct. 31.
That was more than five times her nearest rival, Valrie, who raised $17,706…