MANATEE COUNTY — It's still early in the process, but relatively few candidates have filed to run for local office in the 2024 cycle, despite a number of offices up for re-election.
At the county level, Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Manatee County Property Appraiser, Manatee County Sheriff, Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, Manatee County Tax Collector, Board of County Commissioners Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7; and School Board Districts 1 and 3, are all up in 2024. The City of Bradenton Mayor's office will also be up for reelection in 2024, along with Bradenton City Council, Wards 1 and 5.
Clerk of the Circuit Court Angel Colonneso has filed for re-election, but has not yet drawn an opponent. Incumbent Manatee County Commissioners James Satcher (D-1) and Kevin Van Ostenbridge (D-3) have filed. Both commissioners are seeking a second term and neither has yet drawn a primary or general election opponent.
No one has filed for the Dist. 5 county commission seat as of yet, although Ray Turner, who was recently appointed by the governor to fulfill the term of Vanessa Baugh after the latter stepped down, is expected to run.
Commissioner George Kruse (D-7, At-Large), has not yet filed to seek a second term. Keith Green filed early to run for the seat, giving Kruse at least one opponent in the Republican primary, should he decide to run. Candidates have until mid-June to qualify for the August primary election.
Mark Stanoch has filed to run for Manatee School Board in Dist. 1, where the incumbent, Gina Messenger, has yet to file for re-election. No one has yet to file for Dist. 3, including first-term incumbent Mary Foreman.
4 comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.
sandy
Unless someone other than a Republican runs, they will play the same game with the write-in loophole which closes the primaries. The winner will be decided at the primary, just like 2022. (Ballad was the only one elected in the general election because her opponent was a Democrat.) Using the write-in, half the citizens who are not Republicans will not be allowed to vote in the primary. Eliminate the loophole and open the primaries to all. Or I may need to change a party affiliation that I had since 1975. And I don't vote the party line so I've never changed. To vote here in Manatee County, I may have to.
Friday, August 25, 2023 Report this
barbaraelliott
Putting up a write in candidate to close an open primary is interfering with the outcome of an election and is illegal. The problem is proving it. Probably the write in candidate was paid under the table.
It is legal to film, record, photograph public figures like movie stars, celebrities and public officials. Even those that sign up to run for office qualify as public figures.
With all the tiny wifi cameras out there it seems we could as a community, place cameras in key places and monitor officials actions off and on the clock. Let's get creative and solve the problem which seems to be corrupt government in our county and it's cities. A friend and my former employer Chuck Chambers of Chuck Chambers Investigations, wrote a book about citizens using simple detective methods. I've always used the book to track public officials actions. It's put away' right now, but just google his name you should find it. I like to think it was his legacy to us.
Friday, August 25, 2023 Report this
barbaraelliott
Here is the book, Private Investigators Handbook, available on Amazon and Kindle.
Let's get investigating!
https://www.amazon.com/Private-Investigator-Handbook-Do-Yourself-ebook/dp/B001LGARW8?ref_=ast_author_mpb
Friday, August 25, 2023 Report this
kmskepton
Carol Ann Felts for Commissioner! She TRULY cares about our county. She is thoughtful, involved and knowledgable. For years she has demonstrated her commitment to ALL of us by attending and participating in many of the commission meetings. She encourages others to be involved. She is not a party hack.
Saturday, August 26, 2023 Report this