MANATEE — Last week, Manatee County voters had the opportunity to cast ballots in advance of election day at several early polling locations across the county. While thousands of county voters successfully cast ballots during the early voting period, some voters’ walked away concerned with their experiences.
The early voting period began on Saturday, Aug. 10, and concluded on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, TBT was contacted by a voter who voted at the Palmetto Branch Library early voting location. The individual expressed significant concern regarding his having seen Supervisor of Elections James Satcher—who is also a candidate in the supervisor’s race—outside and inside the polling location.
John Wright spoke to TBT by phone about his concerns. Wright is not affiliated with any campaign or candidate but is a Manatee County citizen and registered voter.
According to Wright, he reported to an early voting location on Tuesday and while approaching the entrance of the polling place saw SOE candidate Satcher at the front doors of the polling place.
“When I went to early vote at the Palmetto Library,” described Wright, “I was greeted at the entryway with a big smile from James Satcher.”
Wright said while he never heard Satcher introduce himself by name or as a candidate—and even though he had never met Satcher or seen him in person—he knew immediately that it was Satcher due to his formerly being a commissioner and, more recently, an SOE letter that accompanied voter information cards that included a photo of Satcher.
“I was immediately uncomfortable by the situation,” Wright told TBT. “Never in my life have I seen a candidate at a polling site.”
Once inside, Wright completed the required check-in at the poll workers’ station and proceeded to cast their ballot. It was then that he noticed Satcher had entered the polling room and was introducing himself to poll workers.
“I have concerns about the appropriateness of his being inside the polling site,” Wright said. “I believe this isn’t allowed because Satcher is a candidate on the ballot. It's intimidating, voting while having the SOE candidate inside the polling room and standing behind the poll workers’ station while I was making my choices.”
Wright said Satcher’s presence inside the polling room concerned him enough that once outside the voting room, he took a photo to document him there and then phoned the Florida Division of Elections’ Fraud and Complaint hotline to report the incident.
“I told the person who answered my call what county I was in and what my concern was,” he said. “I was told my concern would be brought to the attention of the General Counsel at the Division of Elections.”
Wright said that the hotline attendant validated his concern, confirming to him by phone that a candidate is not permitted to be inside a polling room—even if that candidate is the current elections supervisor.
A recent court order issued in Seminole County, Florida, appears to also validate Wright’s concerns.
On Friday, Aug. 17, Seminole Circuit Judge Donna Goerner granted a temporary emergency injunction to keep Seminole County Elections Supervisor and candidate Chris Anderson away from polling locations and voters while they cast their ballots.
It was an opposing candidate to Anderson in the Semonile SOE race that sought injunctive relief regarding multiple actions of Anderson that his opponent believed violated state laws regarding “solicitation” by a candidate and/or candidates entering polling locations during hours of operation.
Concerning Anderson’s alleged presence in polling rooms, Judge Goerner found, “From the record, it appears that SOE has intermingled the official actions of the Supervisor with that of an incumbent candidate in a manner which is likely to be confusing to the voters and which has already been interpreted by voters as actively campaigning within the polling locations by engaging directly with voters within the 150 Foot No Solicitation Zone and the polling locations.”
The order also included that Anderson’s opposing candidate would “suffer irreparable harm” if the current Seminole elections supervisor was not prohibited through the emergency injunction from “directly engaging with voters in the process of voting within the 150 Foot No Solicitation Zone or within the polling locations unless directly and actively engaged in the course of official business which cannot be addressed by any other staff member.”
The emergency injunction went into effect immediately upon the judge’s issuance and will remain until after the November General Election.
Florida Statutes 102.031(3)(a) provides that no person may “enter any polling room or polling place” during voting hours except for; official poll watchers, inspectors, election clerks, or persons there to vote or assist a voter, or “the supervisor of elections or his or her deputy,” among select others.
However, an administrative code provides additional regulation regarding who is—and is not—allowed in a polling room.
According to the 2024 Florida Division of Elections’ Polling Place Procedures Manual, page 13, those not allowed in a polling room include, “candidates, except to vote.”
Unlike Florida Statutes, which are laws passed by the state legislature, the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) are official rules created by state agencies per the Administrative Procedures Act.
Florida Statutes, Chapter 120, describes the rulemaking process for state agencies under the Administrative Procedures Act. While administrative codes are not created in the same way as state law and are not codified within state statutes, administrative codes, or “rules,” are created per statutory requirement and are subject to statutory enforcement.
In addition to Wright's concerns, TBT spoke with two additional citizens who claimed they had witnessed Satcher at a Bradenton early voting location.
One individual claimed having witnessed Satcher inside the polling room at the G.T. Bray Park location on Tuesday, greeting and speaking to poll workers.
In response to a request for comment regarding his visits to early polling locations, Satcher directed us to a Manatee County Supervisor of Elections' Facebook post.
The post was dated Tuesday, Aug. 13, and included a message from Supervisor Satcher, “Our early voting locations are open, and I had the privilege of seeing our dedicated staff in action today. Thank you to our great team for making this possible, and to all our early voters—your participation is vital! If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to vote during this early period. Your voice matters, and we're committed to a safe and fair election.”
Another resident who spoke with TBT said that he ran into Satcher on Tuesday and Thursday outside of the polling location at G.T. Bray.
Tim Mays said that he had been outside the location throughout the week, stationed at a voter information table set up by the Republican Assembly of Manatee County (RAMC). Mays says the RAMC was at the location speaking with voters and providing the organization's “voter guide.”
According to Mays, when he saw Satcher outside the location on Tuesday, he understood him to be there in his role as SOE to "check on things" and to make sure that those “soliciting” voters were maintaining the required distance from the polling location's entrance.
Florida Statutes 102.031(4)(a) includes, in part, “No person, political committee, or other group or organization may solicit voters inside the polling place or within 150 feet of a drop box or the entrance to any polling place…”
Mays said he and Satcher had a brief exchange, during which he told Satcher that he and others outside had already been advised by polling staff of the distance requirements and where the "line" was that they could not cross.
Mays stated that the “line” was marked by the center of the road between the “solicitors” and the entrance.
Mays said Satcher returned to the G.T. Bray location on Thursday, this time as a candidate.
"He was there handing out copies of his campaign letter," Mays said. "He was approaching voters who were heading in to vote, speaking with them, introducing himself as a candidate, and providing campaign materials."
Mays said that at first, Satcher—like the others who were “soliciting” outside—was keeping the required distance from the entrance.
"But then," recalled Mays, "I saw as he was approaching some voters that he crossed over where campaigning outside the polling place cannot cross."
“I advised him after the voters started walking in that he had crossed the line,” Mays said, adding that Satcher apologized and asked for clarification on where the designated “line” was.
Mays claimed that a short time later, Satcher struck up a conversation with him about his candidacy and qualifications and made allegations that his opponent in the supervisor race—Scott Farrington—was actually a Democrat. Mays said he pushed back on Satcher's allegation, telling Satcher that Farrington is a registered Republican.
Satcher did not comment on Mays’ account of their interactions last week outside the polling location.
Satcher sightings at early polling locations were not the only thing that drew the attention of some voters during early voting week.
On Wednesday, a public Facebook post shared on Satcher’s campaign page received scrutiny regarding his impartiality as SOE. The post also made some dubious claims regarding a ballot measure and Satcher’s role in how it would appear on the ballot.
In the post, Satcher shared that he had received an endorsement from a PAC called the Florida Right to Life.
“As SOE I am fighting to make sure voters are fully informed about matters regarding Life,” Satcher wrote in his post.
Several citizens who commented on the post criticized Satcher’s assertion that the topic was relevant to the job of elections supervisor.
“I don’t care if you’re pro-life,” read one comment. “SOE has nothing to do with these decisions… my ballot better be counted correctly.”
“You are supposed to be impartial as SOE,” wrote another commenter. “Your only job is to make sure every vote is counted and a fair and impartial election is conducted.”
“This should really be a non-partisan position,” added another.
Along with his announced PAC endorsement, Satcher’s post also included telling supporters that he, “...fought to make the Amendment 4 financial impact statement prominent on ballots when some wanted to bury the language on the ballot.”
Florida’s Amendment 4 initiative supports establishing a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability. The amendment will appear on ballots during the November general election. The way in which the measure will appear on ballots is governed by state statutes and the Florida Administrative Code.
Florida Statute 100.371, outlines requirements for initiatives appearing on the ballot, including any required financial impact statement related to the measure.
Included within Statute 100.371 (13)(a): “...Within 75 days after receipt of a proposed revision or amendment to the State Constitution by initiative petition from the Secretary of State, the Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall complete an analysis and financial impact statement to be placed on the ballot of the estimated increase or decrease in any revenues or costs to state or local governments and the overall impact to the state budget resulting from the proposed initiative.”
In addition, the State Division of Elections administrative code 1S-2.032 “Uniform Design for Election Ballots,” provides detailed and specific regulations concerning ballot and ballot referenda appearance.
The rules touch on every aspect of ballot appearance, from font type to font size, requirements concerning bolded or unbolded text, alignment, column size, order of ballot item appearance, titles, order of contests, order of candidates, and on and on.
The rules do not allow any individual—including a local elections supervisor—to present ballot contests or measures based on personal preferences or determination. The goal of the administrative code is to “prescribe a uniform ballot design for primary and general elections” statewide.
There are even rules regarding the font of an amendment’s financial impact statement and where that statement must be placed relevant to the proposed amendment.
According to the Manatee Supervisor of Elections website, the unofficial early voter turnout count, as of Friday at 10:30 p.m., was more than 9,000 voters. This figure does not include those who voted on the last Saturday of early voting.
Manatee County voters who wish to vote in this year’s primary election and who have not submitted a vote-by-mail ballot or voted during the early voting period, can vote in-person on Primary Election Day, August 20. Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.
For more information on election day voting, click here. To confirm your precinct and voting location, click here. Other election information can be located at www.votemanatee.com.
8 comments on this item
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sandy
Satcher is violating regulations as a candidate. You can't solicit within a certain distance from the polling place which sounds like he did by handing out a campaign letter and talking to voters inside this distance. He also is campaigning on topics that should not apply to the SOE who is supposed to be non-partisan. As a candidate he should only be inside the precinct to vote as a candidate, even though the SOE. This is one big cluster.
Saturday, August 17 Report this
Debann
SATCHER SUCKS AND A PATHETIC INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS APPOINTED AND NOT ELECTED BY DESATON...VOTE FOR THE ONLY CLEAR CHOICE, A MAN WITH INTEGRITY AND HONESTY..SCOTT FARRINGTON ALL DAY LONG..SEND SATCHER LOOKING FOR A JOB ,PERHAPS WITH SAVING STRIPPERS...ITS WHAT HE EXCELS AT
Saturday, August 17 Report this
misty
Hopefully the SOE office will be restored in 72 hours.
Sunday, August 18 Report this
Cat L
For someone who is professing to care so much about election integrity, Satcher can't seem to stay out of his own way to violating election integrity.
Sunday, August 18 Report this
writerlynn9717
The people complaining could help this awful situation with our SOE being partisan and breaking statutes by filing a complaint with the Ethics Commission. Go here for the form. https://ethics.state.fl.us/Documents/Forms/Complaint%20Form.PDF?cp=2024818
They could also call first @ Telephone (850) 488-7864
There is a lot of evidence to back you up on video, photos, and written in the news.
Sunday, August 18 Report this
rickcoyne507
Are we paying Satchers while he is doing these illegal acts? I saw him working both sides of the street Wednesday and Thursday as well.
Sunday, August 18 Report this
susieb.copeland
Our former SOE, Mike Bennett, to my knowledge did not ever do anything like this. While Satcher is a candidate and SOE candidate, this does not smell right. He clearly as a SOE should know the boundaries and must comply with those boundaries, if all accounts are true.
I sincerely ask the voters of manatee county to determine which candidate will ensure our votes are protected, fulfill state statute requirements, and conduct himself in a manner that does not intimidate voters or workers who are trained to due their jobs. Mr. Satcher please stay away from polls and do not stand over the shoulders of workers.
Sunday, August 18 Report this
Rlasunto
He is campaigning for two causes his own SOE election and to panhandle for the votes to beat down the freedom of choice amendment. I voted by mail how can I find out if my vote has been or will be counted?
Sunday, August 18 Report this