Clearwater City Council · Seat 5
Honest. Fearless. Proven leadership.
Mark Bunker is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, former Vice Mayor, and independent voice who has spent close to 30 years fighting Scientology and standing up for Clearwater.
The campaign launch
Clearwater has a five-member City Council. A third vote creates a majority—and if Scientology controls that third vote, it can get virtually anything it wants from City Hall.
This election is a turning point. Your vote decides who controls the council: you, the people of Clearwater, or Scientology. I’m running to keep that power in residents’ hands.
But Scientology isn’t the only powerful interest City Hall must be willing to challenge. I welcome responsible development, but I’m not afraid to stand up to developers when a proposal threatens the character of a neighborhood or disregards the people who live there. I’m no shrinking violet, and I won’t trade away what makes Clearwater special simply because someone arrives with a glossy rendering and a well-connected team.
Watch on YouTube →Proven leadership
Clearwater Beach is our economic engine, and a revived downtown can help drive the city’s next chapter of growth. But most residents experience Clearwater through the neighborhoods where they live—not through tourist attractions or major development projects. Safe, well-maintained and affordable neighborhoods must remain the foundation of everything we do.
During my four years on the City Council, I worked to ensure every part of Clearwater received attention, practical solutions and straight answers. That means supporting growth without losing sight of the people and neighborhoods City Hall exists to serve.
Libraries, parks and recreation centers are part of that foundation. From neighborhood playgrounds for our children to the nature trails and boardwalks of Moccasin Lake Nature Park, Kapok Park and Lake Chautauqua Park, these shared places bring neighborhoods to life and make Clearwater a place to call home. With severe budget cuts possible, protecting them must remain a priority.
✓For the first time in decades, developers are bringing their projects to our bluffs. A revamped Coachman Park and the BayCare Sound Amphitheatre have attracted 400 apartments, a boutique hotel, retail and restaurants, all under construction now.
✓The first thing I requested from the city manager in 2020 was to change the city charter to allow ADUs like tiny homes, granny flats and garage apartments, offering more affordable options and giving a second income stream to property owners.
✓The charter change for ADUs also made possible an exciting, trendy shopping mall built from shipping containers. The Grove will anchor the revival of a once-thriving business district, giving local entrepreneurs an easy entryway to ownership and providing valuable training for success.
✓I was a strong defender of our police and firefighters. I led the call for the use of police body cameras—not because there was an issue in the department, but because body cameras have been proven to protect residents as well as officers while strengthening accountability.
The next chapter
Clearwater should remain a place where working families, young people, and longtime residents can build a life. I’ll expand practical housing choices—including ADUs, tiny homes, granny flats, and garage apartments—while supporting local businesses and protecting established neighborhoods from development that does not belong.
City Hall must look beyond the beach and downtown and invest in every part of Clearwater. That means safer sidewalks, reliable drainage, better lighting, strong neighborhood business districts, and protecting the libraries, parks, recreation centers, playgrounds, nature trails, and gathering places that make our neighborhoods feel like home.
A revived downtown can broaden our economy and give residents a destination of their own. I’ll welcome responsible investment, local retail, restaurants, housing, and entertainment while insisting that every developer and property owner follow the same rules—with no backroom deals, giveaways, or special treatment.
The new City Hall should belong to the public in more than name. I’ll demand open government, clear answers, careful stewardship of tax dollars, and decisions made in full view of residents—not behind closed doors. Trust is earned when leaders listen, explain their votes, and remain accountable to the people they serve.
From the campaign
Clearwater has spent fifty years learning what happens when Scientology treats a city like territory. Mark Bunker knows the history. Sam Wilson still will not answer the question in front of him.
Why this matters →
To Brooks Gibbs, Team Jelly, all the volunteers and the tens of thousands of Clearwater residents who signed the petitions to protect our downtown, I thank each and every one of you.
Read full post →
In a Candidate Conversation with Andrea D Evans-Dixon I talk about my time on the council, the importance of having someone willing to stand up to Scientology and who will fight for neighborhoods over developers.
Read full post →In the news
Independent coverage of Mark’s campaigns, public record, and decades of work in Clearwater.
The Times reports on Mark’s return to the race for Seat 5 and why he believes Clearwater needs an independent voice willing to confront Scientology.
Tony Ortega shares Mark’s launch video and his account of what is at stake for downtown Clearwater.
A useful overview of the qualified candidates for Seats 4 and 5, campaign finances, and the city’s new runoff process.
Coverage of the city’s candidate forum and the issues facing voters in the 2026 council races.
Axios examines the 2024 Seat 2 contest and Mark’s record as the council member willing to speak plainly about Scientology.
An archive of Mike’s posts about Mark’s Clearwater campaigns, public service, and decades spent standing up to Scientology.
Meet Mark
Mark Bunker moved to Clearwater in 2000 after years as a television journalist and filmmaker. His investigative work earned a Pacific Southwest Emmy, and his advocacy made him a nationally recognized voice for people abused and defrauded by powerful organizations.
In 2020, Clearwater voters elected Mark to the City Council. He later served as Vice Mayor, bringing the same independence, persistence, and plain-spoken honesty to City Hall.
Standing up to Scientology
During filming for Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, Scientology called Clearwater police after Mark sat peacefully in a privately owned downtown “courtyard.” Leah Remini and Mike Rinder joined him as the encounter unfolded—a revealing example of the pressure and surveillance Mark has challenged for decades.
Read Mike Rinder’s account →In their words · 2024
Leah Remini & Mike Rinder“He is the sort of bulwark that stands against the complete and utter domination of the city government by Scientology.”
— Mike Rinder
Watch on YouTube →Support
People who know Mark’s work—and the stakes for Clearwater—are standing with him.
Leah ReminiActress & advocate · Instagram ↗
Mike RinderAn archive of Mike’s thoughts on Scientology remains online ↗
Tony OrtegaInvestigative journalist ↗I gratefully accept Tony’s endorsement—but I also want Clearwater to know that I endorse Tony and The Nash Keys right back.
Only one side of one block of downtown Cleveland Street is not owned by Scientology. Tony and his business partner don’t own the buildings on that side; they lease space for their business. Yet they have invested millions of their own dollars not only to make The Nash Keys rock downtown, but also to renovate neighboring empty storefronts and prepare them for new businesses. And those businesses have moved in.
Tony Tello is a force of nature. He entered the lion’s den, cracked the whip, brought Cleveland Street back to life, and proved that independent businesses can succeed downtown despite Scientology’s presence.
Get involved
Mark has always been a one-man band. With your help, we build something bigger.
Questions or something else to share? Email Mark directly.
Make your voice heard
Election Day is November 3, 2026. Polls are open from 7 AM to 7 PM.
People-powered campaign
