Indian Trail Improvement District President Elizabeth Accomando filed Friday, June 13 to run for the District 6 seat on the Palm Beach County Commission in the 2026 election cycle.
The seat is currently held by Palm Beach County Vice Mayor Sara Baxter, a resident of The Acreage. Baxter filed to run for re-election soon after winning the seat in November 2022. Both Baxter and Accomando are running as Republicans.
Accomando, Baxter and perhaps others will square off in a Republican primary on Aug. 18, 2026. The general election will be in November.
A resident of the Santa Rosa Groves neighborhood, Accomando’s 2022 ITID win was her first taste of elective office. Despite having served only two-and-half-years on the ITID board, Accomando said, “I feel like I’m ready to serve at [the county] level… and can do a great job for the western communities.”
Accomando is a native of Long Island, N.Y., who moved to Florida in 1991. With a background as an insurance adjuster and business owner, she has lived in the western communities since 2013.
With her husband Steve Accomando, she founded Barky Pines Animal Rescue & Sanctuary in 2014.
Accomando serves as secretary/treasurer and runs the nonprofit organization’s daily operations, caring for the animals and leading fundraising efforts.
“I think Elizabeth would be a fantastic county commissioner,” fellow ITID Supervisor Richard Vassalotti said. “She’s an outstanding person. She’s knowledgeable. She’d be great for District 6.”
“I believe we need to have someone who will protect our community and protect our lifestyle,” added Bob Morgan, president of the Acreage Landowners’ Association. “Baxter has never been for this community.”
Accomando is not expected to be Baxter’s only challenger.
“I think anyone has a chance against Baxter,” said longtime ITID Supervisor Betty Argue, who has had several clashes with the incumbent commissioner. “I wish Elizabeth luck.”
Argue blames Baxter, at least in part, for a particularly aggressive attempt to block her return to the ITID board for a third term in 2024.
“I like to say, ‘I’m an elected official not a politician,’” Accomando said. “I hope the race doesn’t get nasty… [but] I’m not going to lay down.”
Baxter said that she was surprised by Accomando’s filing.
“I thought we’d worked well together to get things done for [ITID]… She needs to realize that District 6 is much larger than [ITID].”
District 6 is by far the largest geographic district in the county. It encompasses most of the county west of State Road 7, including the municipalities of Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee Groves, Westlake, parts of Greenacres, plus the Glades communities of Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, as well as the 110-square-mile, unincorporated semi-rural Acreage/Loxahatchee area that is part of ITID.
“My heart is in the western communities, and that reaches all the way out to the Glades,” Accomando said.
There was no particular issue that sparked her decision, Accomando said, but the cumulative weight of a number of events, plus encouragement from some members of the county’s legislative delegation.
“Residents don’t feel like they’re being heard,” she said. “I feel like I can be a better voice for the community.”
Accomando said her decision not to seek a second term on the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors is firm, which means that her Seat 1 will be an open race in 2026.
“I’m not looking back,” she said. “I’m all in.”
There is still a year left for candidates to file in both the county race and the ITID race.
To run a serious campaign in District 6, any candidate will need to raise a minimum of $500,000, Baxter said.
Accomando said she’s confident she can raise enough money to be competitive.
“Ultimately, it comes down to the voters,” she said.
