Anne M. Gannon

Gannon was born in Xenia, Ohio, and grew up in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, where her father was the President of the Mechanicsburg School Board of Education. She attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College before moving to Florida in 1983, and then attended Palm Beach Community College, Barry University, and Florida Atlantic University, studying business administration and political science.

When incumbent State Representative Suzanne Jacobs was unable to seek another term in 2000 due to term limits, Gannon ran to succeed her. In the Democratic primary, Gannon faced former State Representative Barry Silver, David Niven, Michele Nemo, and Doug Westcott. Gannon initially placed second in the initial primary, receiving 26% of the vote to Silver's 37%. However, because no candidate received a majority, a runoff election was held between Silver and Gannon. She ultimately emerged victorious, winning 52% of the vote to Silver's 48%. In the general election, she faced only independent candidate Stan Smilan, whom she defeated in a landslide with 85% of the vote. When she ran for re-election in 2002, Silver ran against her once again, and because no other candidates filed, the primary was open to all voters. Silver sued Gannon "for allegedly defaming his character in campaign literature she distributed" two years prior, while Gannon responded by sending out campaign literature "pointing out Silver's poor driving record" and calling him a "negative person."{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=20020906&id=ajUzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oY4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3788,1457930|title=Old rivals face off for house seat held by incumbent Anne Gannon|date=September 6, 2002|accessdate=December 4, 2014|work=Boca Raton News}} Gannon did not much face difficulty in winning renomination, which she did with 63% of the vote. She was re-elected without opposition in 2004.

In 2006, Gannon initially planned to run for the Florida Senate to succeed Ron Klein, who was term-limited, but dropped out of the race to instead run for a fourth and final term in the state House. However, when John K. Clark, the Palm Beach County Tax Collector, resigned due to poor health,{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2006-03-10/news/0603100114_1_tax-collector-palm-beach-county-governmental-center|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207221150/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2006-03-10/news/0603100114_1_tax-collector-palm-beach-county-governmental-center|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 7, 2014|title=After 15 Years, Tax Collector Resigns|date=March 10, 2006|accessdate=December 4, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Anthony|last=Man}} then-Governor Jeb Bush appointed Republican Peter Carney as Clark's interim replacement until a special election could be held. Gannon opted to run in the special election, campaigning on increasing efficiency within the office to improve performance,{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2006-09-06/news/0609060154_1_gannon-tax-collector-s-race-palm-beach-county|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207221241/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2006-09-06/news/0609060154_1_gannon-tax-collector-s-race-palm-beach-county|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 7, 2014|title=Recognition, Money Help Give Gannon Win|date=September 6, 2006|accessdate=December 4, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Mike|last=Clary}} and defeated small business owner Randy Johnson in the Democratic primary with 70% of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=3|title=Primary Election 9/5/2006|publisher=Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections|accessdate=December 4, 2014}} In the general election, she defeated Carney in a landslide, receiving over 60% of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=2|title=General Election 11/7/2006|publisher=Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections|accessdate=December 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924065546/http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=2|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=dead}}

Gannon was re-elected in 2008 without opposition, and in 2012, was challenged by Carney in the Democratic primary. Carney criticized Gannon for "long wait times for service" in the Tax Collector's office and for problems relating to the poor installation of new software to provide property data.{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-08-14/news/fl-election-palm-tax-collector-2-20120814_1_tax-collector-challenger-peter-carney|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207221052/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-08-14/news/fl-election-palm-tax-collector-2-20120814_1_tax-collector-challenger-peter-carney|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 7, 2014|title=Incumbent tax collector defeats challenger|date=August 14, 2012|accessdate=December 4, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Anne|last=Geggis}} Once again, Gannon defeated Carney in a rout, winning renomination with 87% of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=128|title=Primary Election 8/14/2012|publisher=Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections|accessdate=December 4, 2014}} In the general election, she faced no major opposition and won re-election handily.{{cite web|url=http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=129|title=General Election 11/6/2012|publisher=Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections|accessdate=December 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630133559/http://www.pbcelections.org/ERSummary.aspx?eid=129|archive-date=June 30, 2015|url-status=dead}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4218 Florida House of Representatives - Anne M. Gannon]
• [https://www.pbctax.gov/ Palm Beach County Tax Collector]
• [https://www.pbctax.gov/about-us/# About Anne M. Gannon]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-fl-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Suzanne Jacobs}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 88th district|years=2000–2002}}

{{s-aft|after=Susan Bucher}}

|-

{{s-bef|before=Susan Bucher}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 86th district|years=2002–2006}}

{{s-aft|after=Maria Sachs}}

{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gannon, Anne M.}}

Category:1947 births

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives

Category:People from Mechanicsburg, Ohio

Category:Politicians from Xenia, Ohio

Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature