MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County’s Republican voters opted for change during today’s primary election.
In doing so, the county’s registered Republican voters rejected the far right, hyper-partisan political atmosphere that has dominated Manatee County politics since 2020.
Five of the primary losers utilized Anthony Pedicini’s Tampa-based Strategic Image Management (SIMWINS) political consulting firm.
The unofficial election results posted at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website must still be certified by the independent three-member canvassing board. Subject to potential change, the vote totals listed in this story were as of 8 p.m. Tuesday evening, with some mail ballots still being counted. Voter turnout was 23.57%, with 64,683 of Manatee County’s 274,385 registered voters participating in the primary election.
Supervisor of Elections
Former Supervisor of Elections Office Chief of Staff Scott Farrington will serve a four-year term as Manatee County’s next elected supervisor of elections, having defeated incumbent gubernatorial appointee James Satcher.
In the closed primary race that was open to registered Republican voters only, Farrington received 23,376 votes (58.92%) and Satcher received 16,299 votes (41.08%). Because there is no Democratic challenger in this fall’s general election, Farrington wins the supervisor of elections race.
County Commission races
Tal Siddique defeated April Culbreath in the District 3 county commission race that pitted two first-time candidates against each other in a closed primary race open only to registered Republicans who reside in District 3 – a district that includes Anna Maria Island, Cortez, a portion of Longboat Key and a portion of Bradenton.
Siddique received 5,783 votes (60.91%) and Culbreath received 3,712 votes (39.09%). Siddique will now face Democratic candidate Diana Shoemaker in the District 3 general election race that concludes on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Incumbent District 7 at-large Commissioner George Kruse defeated current District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge in the District 7 Republican primary race. Kruse received 23,245 votes (58.48%) and Van Ostenbridge received 16,503 votes (41.52%). Kruse will now face Democratic candidate Sari Lindroos-Valimaki in the general election.
Seeking to fill the District 1 county commission seat that Satcher vacated in April – when Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher to serve the remaining months of former Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett’s four-year term – Carol Ann Felts defeated Steve Metallo in the District 1 Republican primary. Felts received 5,427 votes (54.07%) and Metallo received 4,610 votes (45.93%). Felts will now face Democratic candidate Glenn Pearson and non-party-affiliated candidate Jennifer Hamey in the District 1 general election.
In the County Commission District 5 race, Robert “Bob” McCann defeated gubernatorial appointee Ray Turner. McCann received 5,744 votes (54.31%) and Turner received 4,833 votes (45.69%). McCann will now face non-party-affiliated candidate Joseph Di Bartolomeo.
Property Appraiser, Clerk, Sheriff
In a countywide race open to all voters, Incumbent Manatee County Property Appraiser Charles Hackney defeated Republican challenger Darin George. Hackney received 48,830 (80.98%) votes and George received 11,469 votes (19.02%).
Running unopposed, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Angel Colonneso will serve another four-year term in that role. Running unopposed, Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells will serve another four-year term as sheriff.
School board races
Charlie Kennedy was the leading vote getter in the non-party-affiliated District 3 school board race. Kennedy received 6,970 votes (47.39%). Jon Lynch, a Pedicini client, received 4,426 votes (30.09%) and Anna Maria resident Perri Ann Parkman received 3,311 votes (22.51%). Because no candidate received a 50%-plus-one additional vote, Kennedy and Lynch will face off in the general election.
Heather Felton was the leading vote-getter in the District 1 school board race. Felton received 6,100 votes (38.96%), Mark Stanoch received 4,960 votes (31.68%) and Alex Garner received 4,596 votes (29.36%). Because none of these candidates secured a 50%-plus-one additional vote, the top two vote-getters, Felton and Stanoch, will face each other in the general election.
Island city races
The winners of the Anna Maria mayor’s race and the Holmes Beach city commission race will be determined in the general election this fall.
