Holly Raschein Sworn In To Fill District 5 County Commission Seat

Monroe County District 5 Commissioner Holly Raschein is sworn in by Deputy Clerk Jennifer Belz. Her son, Drake, was present at the ceremony.

MONROE COUNTY, FL – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Holly Raschein of Tavernier to fill the District 5 Board of County Commissioners seat. The seat was held by Commissioner Mike Forster, who passed away earlier this month. She was sworn in today, Sept. 28, by Deputy Clerk Jennifer Belz with her son, Drake, beside her in Key Largo. Raschein served eight years in the Florida House of Representatives before being termed out.

“No one will ever fill the shoes of Mike Forster, but I am deeply humbled and grateful for the opportunity to try,” she said. “I have spent my entire adult life serving the Florida Keys, and I will work tirelessly to continue our common fight for a better environment and an even more resilient community.”

Raschein has begun working and will be ceremonially sworn in at the Oct. 20, 2021 Board of County Commissioners regularly scheduled meeting at Marathon Government Center.

Raschein is the Government Relations Director for AshBritt and a Market Advisor for First State Bank of the Florida Keys. She is a member of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors, Mariners Hospital Foundation Board, Leadership Monroe County Board, and the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition Board. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida State University and a Master of Public Administration from Florida International University.

Due to the amount of time left in Commissioner Forster’s term, Raschein will serve until a special election can be held in 2022 as part of the regular election cycle next year (August primary, November general). The special election winner will serve the remaining two years of Commissioner Forster’s term until November 2024. Raschein can choose to run in the special election or not.