The qualification period for Manatee County’s upcoming 2020 elections is over and the political stage has been set.
The ballots are set for Florida’s Aug. 18 primary now that the election qualifying period has ended. Manatee County voters will determine a new mayor, new city leaders and other elected positions in November.
CREDIT: TIFFANY TOMPKINS TTOMPKINS@BRADENTON.COM
Here are the candidates that will appear on the ballot later this year. Some are running unopposed and are virtually guaranteed to win seats in November.
U.S. HOUSE ELECTION
Florida’s 16th Congressional District, including Manatee County and parts of Sarasota and Hillsborough counties
Incumbent: Congressman Vern Buchanan, Republican
Candidates: Buchanan, state Rep. Margaret Good, Democrat
Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms, will go head-to-head against Good in November. The Sarasota Democrat won her first seat as an elected official in 2017 when she defeated Buchanan’s son in a 2018 special election.
STATE ELECTIONS
Florida State Senate, District 21, Manatee County and parts of Hillsborough County
Incumbent: Senate President Bill Galvano, Republican (term-limited)
Candidates: Jim Boyd (Republican), John Manners Houman (Republican) and Amanda Linton (Democrat)
Florida House of Representatives, District 71, West Bradenton, Anna Maria Island and parts of Sarasota
Incumbent: State Rep. Will Robinson, Republican
Candidates: Robinson, Andy Mele, Democrat
Environmental activist Mele is a challenging first-term representative Robinson.
Florida House of Representatives, District 73, East Manatee, Lakewood Ranch and parts of Sarasota
Incumbent: State Rep. Tommy Gregory, Republican
Candidates: Gregory, David Fairey, Democrat
Gregory, an Air Force veteran and attorney, is challenged by Fairey, a Sarasota CFO. Both candidates recently participated in their first debate.
Florida House of Representatives, District 70, parts of Bradenton, Palmetto, Sarasota and St. Petersburg
Incumbent: State Rep. Wengay Newton, Democrat (term-limited)
Candidates: Keisha Bell (Democrat), Michelle Grimsley (Democrat), Mark Oliver (Democrat) and Michele Raynor (Democrat)
As Newton leaves the House due to term limits, Democrats will hold onto the seat.
12TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ELECTIONS
State Attorney
Incumbent: Ed Brodsky, Republican
Candidates: Brodsky, Lisa Chittaro (Republican), Betsy Young (Democrat)
Public Defender
Incumbent: Larry Eger, Republican
Candidates: Eger unopposed.
Judges
Group 1: Incumbent Gilbert Smith Jr., nonpartisan, unopposed.
Group 5: Incumbent Charles E. Roberts, nonpartisan, unopposed.
Group 6: Incumbent Kimberly Carlton Bonner, nonpartisan, unopposed.
Group 10: Incumbent Stephen Walker, nonpartisan, unopposed.
Group 15: Incumbent Charles Sniffen, nonpartisan, unopposed.
Group 17: Incumbent Susan Malucci, nonpartisan, unopposed.
Group 18: Kevin Bruning, nonpartisan, unopposed.
Group 19: Edward Nicholas, nonpartisan, unopposed.
MANATEE COUNTY ELECTIONS
Manatee County Sheriff
Incumbent: Sheriff Rick Wells, Republican
Candidates: Wells unopposed
Wells, first elected in 2016, is running unopposed for a second term leading the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Manatee County Supervisor of Elections
Incumbent: Michael Bennett, Republican
Candidates: Bennett, Charles William, Jr., Democrat
Bennett, a former state senator and representative, is challenged by Williams, a local pastor who also ran against Bennett in 2012. Bennett won that race by 16 percentage points.
Manatee County Property Appraiser
Incumbent: Charles Hackney (Write-in)
Candidates: Hackney unopposed
Manatee County Tax Collector
Incumbent: Ken Burton, Jr., Republican
Candidates: Burton unopposed
Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
Incumbent: Angel Colonneso, Republican
Candidates: Colonneso unopposed
MANATEE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
District 1, representing Parrish, parts of Ellenton and East Bradenton
Incumbent: Priscilla Whisenant Trace, Republican
Candidates: Trace, Dominique Shauntel Brown (Democrat), James Satcher III (Republican) and James Hengel (Write-in)
District 3, representing West Bradenton and Anna Maria Island
Incumbent: Stephen Jonsson, Republican (retiring)
Candidates: Kevin Van Ostenbridge (Republican), Matt Bower (Independent) and Nathan Meyer (Write-in)
Jonsson, who defeated Bower by 14 points in 2016, has decided to retire from the board after just one term. Ostenbridge has been endorsed by the outgoing commissioner. As part of his campaign, Bower has promised not to accept money from developers. Meyer is a write-in candidate.
District 5, representing Lakewood Ranch and Myakka City and parts of East Manatee
Incumbent: Vanessa Baugh, Republican
Candidates: Baugh, Carol Ann Felts (write-in) and Christopher Gilbert (write-in)
Baugh first found a challenger in former County Administrator Ed Hunzeker, but after he switched districts, the two-term commissioner faces two write-in candidates.
District 7, a countywide at-large seat
Incumbent: Betsy Benac, Republican (Retiring)
Candidates: Ed Hunzeker (Republican), George Kruse (Republican) and Thomas Whitten Dell (write-in)
Following the announcement that Benac would step down from the board after her term expires, Hunzeker switched his campaign from District 5 to the at-large seat. The switch also attracted another competitor in Kruse, who had previously filed to run in District 1. Dell is a write-in candidate.
MANATEE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
District 1
Incumbent: Gina K. Messenger
Candidates: Messenger, Bridget Mendel
Messenger, currently the board’s chairwoman, is seeking a second term. A school activist, Mendel has been critical of the administration of Superintendent Cynthia Saunders.
District 3
Incumbent: Dave Miner
Candidates: Miner, Scott G. Boyes, Christine E. Dawson, Mary K. Foreman, Richard A. “Rick” Murphy
Miner is seeking a third term on the school board. If none of the candidates in the race get more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, the the top two vote-getters will faced off in the general election in November.
MANATEE COUNTY JUDGES
Court Judge Group 1
Incumbent: Renee Inman
Candidates: Inman nopposed
Inman, first appointed as a judge in 2017 by Gov. Rick Scott, is seeking re-election.
Court Judge Group 2
Incumbent: Heather Doyle
Candidates: Doyle unopposed
Doyle is seeking to keep her seat on the bench after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed herto the position in 2019.
Court Judge Group 4
Incumbent: None
A slate of legal experts are vying in the race to become Manatee County’s newest judge. Melissa Gould, a prosecutor with the State Attorney’s Office; Chris Pratt, a local defense lawyer; Kristy Zinna, a private attorney and Connie Mederos Jacobs, an attorney and former prosecutor.
CITY OF BRADENTON
Mayor
Incumbents: Mayor Wayne Poston (retiring)
Candidates: Councilman Harold Byrd, Jr., Councilman Gene Brown and Dimitrie Denis.
After serving as mayor for 20 years, Poston is stepping down after the election in November. In one of his final acts as Bradenton’s executive leader, Poston vetoed a controversial charter amendment that would have appeared on the ballot in November, as well.
Ward 1
Incumbent: Gene Gallo (retiring)
Candidates: Jayne Kocher
Kocher, a local realtor, stands to become the first female councilwoman to represent Ward 1.
Ward 5
Incumbent: Harold Byrd Jr. (running for mayor)
Candidates: Keenan Wooten and Pamela Coachman
CITY OF PALMETTO
Mayor
Incumbent: Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant
Candidates: Bryant, City Commissioner Jonathan Davis and Charles Smith
Experienced Palmetto leaders are taking a shot at winning the mayor’s seat. Bryant has served as mayor since 2004, and is challenged by Commissioner Jonathan Davis and Charles Smith, who has previously served on the Palmetto City Commission and the Manatee Board of County Commissioners.
At-Large 1
Incumbent: Jonathan Davis (running for mayor)
Candidates: Sheldon Jones, Alice Kaddatz and Matthew Kezar
At-Large 2
Incumbent: Tamara Cornwell
Candidates: Cornwell unopposed
CITY OF ANNA MARIA
Mayor
Incumbent: Mayor Dan Murphy
Candidates: Murphy unopposed
Commissioners (2 seats)
Incumbents: Amy Tripp and Mark Short
Candidates: Tripp and Short are unopposed
CITY OF BRADENTON BEACH
Bradenton Beach Commission — Ward 2
Incumbent: Marilyn Maro
Candidate: Maro unopposed
Bradenton Beach Commission — Ward 4
Incumbent: Ralph Cole
Candidate: Cole unopposed
CITY OF HOLMES BEACH
Mayor
Incumbent: Mayor Judy Titsworth
Candidates: Titsworth unopposed
City Commissioners (2 seats)
Incumbents: Commissioner Patrick Morton and Commissioner Kim Rash
Candidates: Morton,Rash, Richard Hurst and Jayne Christenson