Palm Beach County school board member Paulette Burdick won’t get a free seat on the county commission after all.

Sherry A. Lee, a West Palm Beach real estate broker, qualified for the ballot as a Republican this morning in the District 2 commission race. Lee’s papers were stamped in at the county elections office at 11:16 a.m. — 44 minutes before the noon deadline. Lee, 47, is making her first run for office. She said she’s been involved in a study group called “Lower Taxes Now” and has been blogging on county budget issues

Democrat Burdick was the only candidate for the seat after state Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach, announced Tuesday that she was dropping out. Burdick arrived at the elections office shortly before noon.

“I look forward to discussing the issues,” Burdick said.

District 2 is now represented by Democrat Jeff Koons, who is leaving because of term limits. Democrats hold a 50.2-to-24.1 percent registration edge over Republicans in the district. Republicans didn’t field a candidate against Koons in 2002 or 2006.