MANATEE COUNTY — With the candidate qualifying deadline just 12 weeks away, more than 20 individuals have filed to run for a seat on the Manatee County Commission. In recent weeks, new 2026 candidates have declared their candidacy for the anticipated county District 1 race, while other candidates have withdrawn and/or switched district races.
District 1 (Anticipated)
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has yet to formally declare the vacancy in Manatee County Commission’s District 1 seat, a step which would be completed by executive order, triggering a special election to be held during the next general election. The seat was formerly represented by Myakka resident and longtime local activist, Carol Ann Felts—Felts passed away unexpectedly on February 24th. It is anticipated that DeSantis will declare the vacancy sometime in the coming week(s).
Despite the District 1 race not yet being officially open, interest is high, as eight individuals have already signaled their intent to run, filing for the 2028 contest to gain an early foothold while awaiting the governor’s action. So far, nearly all of the candidates who have declared their intent to seek election to fill the vacancy are Republicans, with just one recent Democratic filer.
Two of the candidates to declare their candidacy for the seat were previously filed in the District 6 (at-large) commission race: local pastor and Republican Anthony Drake, and Parrish resident Adam Johnson.
Johnson, also running as a Republican, gained national attention after posing for a photo with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern during the January 6 takeover of the U.S. Capitol. He was later convicted of crimes related to the incident, but was among more than 1,600 January 6 rioters who were later pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Speaking to attendees of a recent conservative political group meeting, Johnson shared, “We are no longer running at-large, as we wait for Carol’s (Felts) seat to open up. We prayed about it a long time, we talked about when the right time was to do it, and we just think this is the right move.” Johnson added that he and his wife and five children have been Parrish residents for 15 years.
Last week, Parrish resident and Republican Liz Arnold announced her candidacy for District 1. Arnold has frequently appeared before the county commission to advocate for rural preservation, environmental protection, and good governance.
Arnold, who moved to Florida as an infant and relocated to Manatee County in 1995, tells TBT that her decision to run was inspired by a desire to “help carry forward Felts’ legacy and to stand up for the people” in District 1. She has been a resident of the district since 2010.
“Development pressures are pushing farther and farther into our rural areas, often without the infrastructure or water resources needed to support it… This campaign isn’t about politics,” said Arnold, “it’s about protecting the place we love and making sure the voices of our residents—not outside interests—guide the future of Manatee County.”
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Manatee County District 1 candidate, Republican Anthony Drake
Manatee County District 1 candidate Adam Johnson
Manatee County District 1 candidate Liz Arnold addressed the county commission during public comments in 2025
Manatee County District 1 candidate, Republican John Dunn
Manatee County District 1 candidate, Republican Andrew Cottrell
Manatee County District 1 candidate Republican Mark Stanoch
Manatee County District 1 candidate, Republican Eugene Hendry
Manatee County District 1 candidate, Republican Michael Harrison, shares warm memories of former Manatee County Commissioner Carol Ann Felts during a BOCC memorial meeting on March 3, 2026
Manatee County District 1 candidate, Democrat Sari Lindroos-Valimaki
Republican John Dunn is also a lifelong resident of Manatee County. In an announcement shared on Facebook, Dunn wrote, “As a Christian, husband, father, and veteran, I care deeply about our community and the future we’re leaving for our children.”
According to his campaign website, Dunn graduated from Lakewood Ranch High School, attended MTI Fire academy and EMT school, and later worked in the ER at LWR Medical Center. He is also a United States Air Force veteran, where he served as a medic.
“I’m not a politician, I’m your neighbor. I’m not backed by big developers or special interests,” shares the candidate, whose campaign priorities include protecting the FDAB, stopping overdevelopment, ensuring infrastructure and emergency services can support the population, and protecting water, land, and wildlife, among other issues.
Republican Andrew Cottrell is a United States Navy veteran. The 43-year-old announced that he will seek election to the District 1 seat. “Manatee County deserves leadership that listens, plans ahead, and puts residents first. This campaign is about protecting quality of life, demanding responsible growth, improving infrastructure, and making sure local government works for the people who live here,” Cottrell recently shared on his social media.
Republican Mark Stanoch also announced his District 1 candidacy on Facebook this week. The Rye Wilderness Estates resident previously ran as a Manatee School Board District 1 candidate in 2024, losing the bid to current Manatee School Board member Heather Felton.
A resident of Manatee County since 2008, Stanoch is also a BOCC appointee, serving on the Manatee County Government Efficiency Liaison Committee.
Parrish resident and Republican Eugene Hendry has also filed for the seat. According to the information provided in his candidate bio on the Supervisor of Elections website, Hendry is a 41-year-old disabled EMT who relocated to Manatee County in 2021. In recent posts shared on Facebook, Hendry says he moved to Florida 16 years ago, and was “motivated by the impact of recent elections” and is “determined to work tirelessly for the people, not special interests.”
Myakka resident and President and Director of the Florida Cracker Trail Association, Michael Harrison, has also joined the emerging District 1 candidate field. Sharing personal stories about his friendship with Felts at the March 3 BOCC meeting memorial, Harrison said that he and Felts had known one another for 38 years. Harrison is also a Republican candidate.
Finally, on the Democratic side, former 2024 District 7 commission candidate Sari Lindroos-Valimaki has joined as the only Democrat to file so far for the upcoming District 1 race. A resident of Palmetto, Lindroos-Valimaki is an immigrant from Finland, a more than 40-year resident of Florida, and a “seasoned” IT security professional.
District 2
There have been no recent changes in the District 2 race, with no new candidates filing and no withdrawals reported in recent weeks.
Incumbent Republican Amanda Ballard has filed for reelection and continues to face a primary challenge from 21-year-old Ed Bailey. The youngest commission candidate to file this year, Bailey had previously served as an aide to District 5 Commissioner Bob McCann, but resigned from the position to run.
On the Democratic side, Charles Smith—who formerly served one term as a D2 commissioner before being unseated by Reggie Bellamy in the 2018 primary—remains unopposed for the nomination.
Two no-party-affiliation (NPA) candidates have also entered the race. Shavonda Griffin is a Palmetto High and Manatee Community College grad with a background in social work and a record of community service. Another candidate, Joe Morris, has also filed to run as an NPA candidate for the seat.
District 4
The race for the county’s District 4 seat has also remained stable in recent weeks. Republican incumbent Mike Rahn, a graduate of Sarasota High School and a lifelong resident of Manatee and Sarasota Counties, is seeking reelection to the seat. Rahn is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He has worked in the residential mortgage real estate industry for decades, served on the county planning commission, and, as a commissioner, chaired the BOCC. He was reappointed chairman of the Seaport Manatee Port Authority Board in 2025.
Rahn will face Republican challenger Glen Gibellina. Gibellina has been a consistent citizen participant in local government, advocating on issues ranging from Veteran services, homelessness, affordable/attainable housing, smart growth, and good governance. He is the current Vice Chair of the Manatee County Affordable Housing Advisory Board and formerly served on the board of the Suncoast Partnership. In 2025, the Manatee Tiger Bay Club, a nonpartisan civic organization, honored Glen with the Community Leadership Award.
District 6
The District 6 race, a countywide “at-large” seat, has seen some shuffling in recent weeks following the unexpected passing of Commissioner Felts and the anticipated special election in District 1. Candidates Adam Johnson and Anthony Drake withdrew from the at-large race and re-filed for the District 1 seat, while Republican at-large candidate Douglas Sullivan has withdrawn entirely.
The seat is currently represented by incumbent Jason Bearden, who has announced he will not seek a second term. As of close-of-business Friday, five active candidates remain in the race—four Republican candidates and one Democratic candidate.
Republican Ed Ference was born and raised in Manatee County and is a former county employee with more than 30 years of experience working in Manatee County Utilities.
Realtor Tony Barrett, a 34-year Manatee County resident and a United States Army veteran and paramedic who later served with Manatee County EMS before retiring from the Sarasota County Fire Department. He also spent five years as a tactical medic with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team. Barrett was a recent guest on the TBT Candidate Podcast Series.
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Ed Ference, Republican candidate for Manatee County Commission District 6 (At-Large)
Tony Barrett, , Republican candidate for Manatee County Commission District 6 (At-Large)
John Calovich, Republican candidate for Manatee County Commission District 6 (At-Large)
Tara Poulton, Republican candidate for Manatee County Commission District 6 (At-Large)
Reggie Bellamy, Democratic candidate for Manatee County Commission District 6 (At-Large)
Republican and Lakewood Ranch resident John Calovich has also entered the race. According to his campaign website, Calovich is the owner of America’s Swimming Pool Company of Manatee County and is running to “bring a ‘business-sense’ approach to local government.” Calovich recently received an endorsement from current District 5 Commissioner Bob McCann, who endorsed multiple candidates for the commission in 2026.
The only female candidate in the race is Republican Tara Pouton. She most recently served as the District Chief of Staff for Congressman Vern Buchanan, but has decades of experience in the public sector, including prior work at Manatee County Government’s Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and DeSoto County Government. She also previously served as Vice President of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
On the Democratic side, former commissioner Reggie Bellamy is seeking to serve in the county-wide seat. Born and raised in Manatee County, Bellamy is a veteran of the United States Military, has coached high school and collegiate athletics, and serves as the Executive Director of the Palmetto Youth Center.
Bellamy represented District 2 from 2018 to 2022, but lost his bid for re-election in 2022 to the current District 2 Commissioner, Amanda Ballard. The only Democrat to file in the at-large race, Bellamy, remains unopposed for his party's nomination.
Important Primary Election Dates
The candidate qualifying week ends on June 12. Primary Election Day will be on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The last day to register to vote is Monday, July 20, 2026.
For all other election information and important dates, please visit the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website, or www.votemanatee.gov/election-dates/.
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