While Kamala Harris and Donald Trump get all the attention for the 2024 election, most races on the ballot for Sarasota County voters concern local officials.
Seven incumbents are elected automatically because they qualified without opposition: Sarasota County District 5 Commissioner Ron Cutsinger, Sheriff Kurt Hoffman, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Karen Rushing, Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner, Property Appraiser Bill Furst, State Attorney Ed Brodsky and Public Defender Larry Eger.
Elections:Metallo scores major developer funding in race for Manatee County Commission District 1
ICYMI:Deadline for Sarasota County, Manatee voters to register for primary elections is July 22
How to vote in the Sarasota County primary election
The official primary election day is Aug. 20. The deadline to register to vote for the primaries or to change party affiliation was July 22.
If you have a mail-in ballot, the U.S. Postal Service recommends you mail your ballot by Aug. 13 for it to arrive at the Supervisor of Elections on time. Otherwise, there are absentee ballot drop-off points open at each Sarasota elections office from 8:30 a.m. to 5p.m. on weekdays; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. over the final two weekends before election day; and from 7a.m. to 7p.m. on Aug. 20.
In-person early voting will run from Aug. 10 through Aug. 18 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Eligible voters can find their status and precinct location on the Supervisor of Elections website.
Sarasota County voters will go to the polls to decide on three Sarasota City Commission seats, two County Commission races, Tax Collector, and a bevy of state legislative seats.
Sarasota County Commission – GOP primary for District 1, Northern Sarasota County: Teresa Mast vs. Alexandra Coe
The former chair of the Sarasota County Planning Commission, Teresa Mast, will face former Sarasota County Charter Review Board member Alexandra Coe. The winner of the primary is virtually guaranteed to replace the District 1 incumbent, County Commission Chair Mike Moran.
“Teresa’s connections to the construction industry run deep,” Mast’s website says.
She is president of The Davin Group, a general contracting company, and a board member of the Suncoast Builders Association – an advocacy group for the development and construction industries that her husband Jon is the CEO of.
Jon Mast is also a board member of the Florida PACE Funding Agency, of which Mike Moran is the executive director.
Moran has spent more than $30,000 of public funds at high-end restaurants and hotels in Las Vegas, New York and California while head of the FPFA. In one instance, Moran picked up the tab for a dinner with the Masts at Pascone's in February 2024. The cost of that dinner was $301, according to the FPFA ledger.
Coe is an applied anthropology researcher, first elected to the Charter Review Board in 2020. She has also served on the county Historic Preservation Advisory Board, as the chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus, and on the local Republican Executive Committee.
She said on her website she supports “responsible growth” that “harmonizes development with the conservation of rural and green spaces.”
She has been endorsed by the America First SWFL Caucus and Control Growth Now.
Coe ran for the county commission in 2014 but lost to Paul Caragiulo. In 2017, Coe submitted paperwork to run for the then-District 72 State House seat but did not qualify for the race. In 2018, she lost to Christian Ziegler inthe GOP County Commission primary.
She defeated former NAACP President Walter Gilbert III in the 2020 Charter Review Board election.
The primary was closed when Hope Williams, a 20-year-old Republican, filed as a write-in candidate onWednesday. Williams is the daughter of Traci Williams, the volunteer coordinator for Mast's campaign.Her name will not appear on the ballot against the GOP primary winner in November.
At a GOP Candidate Pie Rally on July 27, Coe admonished overdevelopment in Sarasota County.
Sarasota County Commission – GOP Primary for District 3, Southern Sarasota County, Venice, and North Port: Commissioner Neil Rainford vs. Tom Knight
Perhaps the most watched race in the countyis Commissioner Neil Rainford's effort to win election to the seat to which he was appointed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis to finish the term of Nancy Detert after her death. He faces former sheriff and longtime south Sarasota County resident Tom Knight.
Rainford has garnered financial support and endorsem*nts from Sarasota’s Republican establishment and many influential developers. Knight has attacked the incumbent for being too pro-development and for making the race about culture-war issues.
Knight has been endorsed by the America First SWFL Caucus.
The winner faces Shari Thornton, who is running as an independent, although she is listed on the website of the Sarasota County Democratic Party as one of their 2024 candidates.
The three candidates met publicly for the first time at a South County Tiger Bay forum in early June. At the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum in July, Knight took a jab at Rainford as he exited the stage by saying, “Welcome to Venice.”
Rainford did not move to District 3 until after he was sworn in as its county commissioner. Although Knight grew up in Venice, Rainford argued to the Herald-Tribune that he's a better local representative because he is a more faithful conservative.
At the event, Rainford explained he supports building a four-lane extension to Lorraine Road to connect to Knights Trail Road. He has also cited the commission’s decision to propose a 37-year low property tax rate cut.
Knight criticized the county's rising budget at the event. He also said the Lorraine Road extension would benefit north Sarasota County by opening land for development.
Sarasota City Commission – District 1, Newtown, Gillespie Park, Bayou Oaks
Incumbent Kyle Battie is seeking reelection after unseating Willie Charles Shaw in 2020.
Sequoia Felton filed to run against Battie in May. The Newtown resident announced her campaign with endorsem*nts from Fredd Atkins, the first Black mayor of Sarasota, and Shaw, a former longtime city commissioner.
Melissa Furman, a resident of Central Cocoanut, has also filed to challenge Battie. Furman has no apparent campaign website, but she participated in a City PAC candidate forum in May.
The three candidates met at a Tiger Bay forum in July. Battie controlled much of the conversation, which focused on development and affordable housing.
Sarasota Tax Collector – GOP primary: Charles Bear vs. Mike Moran
County Commission Chair Mike Moran has gathered endorsem*nts from across the conservative spectrum while Charlotte County Director of Tax Operations Charles Bear has run on his experience in public tax service.
The two traded barbs in their respective speeches at the Sarasota GOP Candidates Pie Rally. Bear chastised Moran for having no experience with government tax collection, while Moran attacked Bear for being a registered Independent until recently.
As a county commissioner, Moran has recently led the charge on cutting public funds to a variety of public services and non-profits - such as the 211 helpline service, the Embracing Our Differences art installation, and an emergency shelter for homeless and at-risk families.
Moran also has attracted controversy as the executive director of the Florida PACE Funding Agency. Most of the state's elected tax collectors and some county governments forced the FPFA into a Florida Supreme Court case after the FPFA received a circuit court ruling that the agency has argued allows it to operate in the entire state. Before that court ruling, Property Assessment Clean Energy (PACE) programs were required to have a written agreement in place within the jurisdictions where they operate.
A recent Herald-Tribune examination of expenses at the FPFA turned up several examples of Moran spending public funds on entertainment that government watchdogs called shocking, including expensive meals and wines.
Sarasota County School Board
Although technically nonpartisan, the Sarasota County School Board races have become a flashpoint in the national culture war in recent years. Any candidate who receives 50 percent plus one vote in the August primary will be automatically elected. If not, then the top two candidates will advance to a November run-off.
Sarasota Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Steven Walker has compiled rundowns of both elections:
District 2: School Board Vice Chair Karen Rose vs. Liz Barker
Karen Rose, the incumbent school board chairwoman first elected in 2020, faces Liz Barker, a local mother and former school psychologist. Many see the District 2 race as a referendum on the board's conservative majority, which was seated in 2022 following wins from Bridget Ziegler, Tim Enos and Robyn Marinelli. Rose has been endorsed by several Republican politicians, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, while Barker has garnered endorsem*nts from the Sarasota Democratic Party and Moms Demand Action.
District 3: Incumbent Tom Edwards, Thomas Babicz, Gregory Wood
Tom Edwards, the incumbent District 3 school board member, faces Greg Wood, a father and former non-profit executive, and Thomas Babicz, a retired IT professional. Edwards has notably been the only registered Democrat on the school board since it flipped to a conservative majority in 2022, and has been targeted by Gov. Ron DeSantis for being "woke". Because there are three candidates, if one does not earn 50% plus one vote in August, a runoff election takes place in November between the top two vote-getters.
U.S. House of Representatives
Democratic Primary for Florida's 17th District Sarasota County: Manny Lopez vs. Matthew Montavon
The two Democrats will face off for the opportunity to challenge the incumbent Rep. Greg Steube (R-Sarasota)
Montavon is a former United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization administrator. Lopez is a former educator.
Both convey familiar Democratic Party policy platforms on their websites. Lopez has emphasized "Rebuilding the middle class by closing the wealth gap between the 90% and 10%," as well as being pro-choice, supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, immigration reform, and "sensible gun safety measures."
Montavon wants to "address affordable housing through national programs supporting the building of lower-income units and support for first home buyers." He also supports universal Medicare and more gun regulations - such as "getting assault weapons off the market," expanded background checks and red flag laws.
Florida State House
GOP Primary for District 74 - Sarasota County: State Rep. James Buchanan vs. Michelle Pozzie
Incumbent James Buchanan faces an insurgent primary challenge from the right by Michelle Pozzie.
The chair of the Agriculture, Conservation & Resiliency Subcommittee, Buchanan was first elected to the seat in 2018. He was endorsed by Gov. DeSantis in June; and has also been endorsed by the Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
At a meeting of the Southwest Florida AF Caucus, which has endorsed her, Pozzie accused Buchanan of not taking a stronger, more hard-right stance in the culture wars that have dominated the GOP.
At the GOP Pie Rally, Pozzie attacked Buchanan for not standing up for “medical freedom” and being against “keep the boys out of girls sports.” Buchanan's stump speech focused on his conservative record in Tallahassee as he seeks what would be his final term.
Sarasota County Charter Review Board
District 1 GOP Primary - Nicholas Altier vs. William Van Allen
Altier is the owner of Owner of Altier & Co., a real estate firm. He has served on the county Historical Preservation Board
Van Allen spoke at the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum in July, where he ended his speech by drawing attention to the similarity between his name and that of late guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
He has been endorsed by the America First SWFL Caucus.
District 3 GOP Primary - Incumbent Thomas DeSane vs. Jim Coler
DeSane was appointed to the seat in 2023 by DeSantis. He has been endorsed by Sheriff Kurt Hoffman and the Sarasota Young Republicans.
He served as a New York police officer for 31 years; and was a 9/11 first responder. DeSane retired in 2016 and relocated to Sarasota County. He is the founder and President of the local Blue Line Club - an "association of retired law enforcement officers, firefighters and other first responders from around our country."
Coler is a local businessman and former volunteer firefighter. He has been endorsed by the America First SWFL Caucus.
District 4 GOP Primary - George Aiton vs. Gregory "Tex" Bukowski
Bukowski has largely made his campaign about former President Donald Trump.
"I think we need STRONG SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT," one campaign flyer says. "We can't leave him on an island, fighting our battles alone. The man needs all of our collective strength behind him to succeed."
Bukowski is the 1st Vice President of the Sarasota Republicans Club. He was also the Assistant Director of Recruiting and Operations for the University of Southern California's football team in the Pete Carroll era.
George Aiton is also on the ballot as a Republican. He has not raised or expended any money as a candidate, according to county records.
North Port City Commission
District Seat 2: Incumbent Barbara Langdon, Cheryl Cook, and Josh Smith
Barbara Langdon is running for her second term against Joshua Smith, a local business owner, and Cheryl Cook.
Cook was elected to the city commission in 2012. Four years later, she finished fourth in a four-candidate primary after voters approved a charter amendment that split the city into districts. In 2020, Langdon beat bested Cook by one vote in the primary election for a second-place finish after a recount.
Smith is a political newcomer - the co-owner of All Truck and Fleet, a repair shop in Sarasota.
Hospital Board
The nine-member public hospital board oversees and sets policy for Sarasota Memorial Health Care, which includes all Sarasota Memorial Hospital campuses.
The America First SW FL Caucus endorsed a slate of "medical freedom" candidates whose policies largely derive from grievances over the COVID-19 pandemic. That includes Rosenwasser, Guffanti, Flynn-O'Neil, and Parus.
The Citizens for Healthcare Excellence Action Fund, a political action committee chaired by Dr. Kirk G. Voelker, a member of the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation board of directors, has endorsed Beitlich, Cooper, Lodge and Wetzler DePeters.
The Candidates for At-Large Seats 1 and 3 met at a Tiger Bay panel in June - where they weighed in on the definition of "medical freedom" and the public sector's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The candidates for At-Large Seat 2 and Central District Seat 1 met at Tiger Bay later that month.
Six of the eight candidates attended a League of Women Voters forum in July. Each affirmed their commitment to keep Sarasota Memorial publicly owned.
At-Large Seat 1: Incumbent Sharon DePeters vs. Tamzin Rosenwasser
A former commissioned officer in the United States Air Force Reserve, Wetzler DePeters was a nurse at the VA Medical Center's Surgical Intensive Care Unit. She is also a former Associate Professor of Nursing at the State College of Florida. The is the current secretary of the hospital board, first elected eight years ago.
The former president of the President of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Rosenwasser wrote in her candidate statement she wants to "heal the wounds" of COVID-19 and identify problems and needed improvements since then.
"Our hospital must be financially sound and stable, and I am committed to keeping it that way. But I know that taking care of sick, injured patients is not a "business" like every other business," Rosenwasser wrote.
Rosenwasser has asserted that the hospital's blocking of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin to treat COVID-19 stripped patients of their medical freedom.
At-Large Seat 2: Kevin Cooper vs. Stephen Guffanti
Cooper is the Vice President for Communications and Strategic Initiatives at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. In June, he was appointed by Gov. DeSantis to the Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County. He is also a veteran of the National Guard.
Cooper said at a Tiger Bay Forum that Sarasota Memorial Hospital was not "perfectly equipped to handle the pandemic," but it learned a lot and is more prepared to handle the next crisis. He said at the League of Women voters forum that he felt, “The business of the board is the business of the hospital, it’s not the practice of medicine."
Guffanti is a retired Emergency Room doctor and has been a vocal critic of the Hospital Board for the treatment he says he received for COVID-19. A hospital spokesperson has called Guffanti's claims "untrue, unsubstantiated and often politically motivated."
He claimed at a Tiger Bay forum that the current hospital board aims to privatize. Board member Sarah Lodge pushed back and said, "I never heard or had a discussion about privatizing, except when it was raised, almost as a threat, from folks aligned with Stephen Guffanti."
At-Large Seat 3: Pam Beitlich vs. Mary Flynn-O'Neil
Flynn-O’Neill, of retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, former President Donald Trump's first national security adviser, who resigned after weeks in office and has reemerged as a far-fight influencer.
She has promised to "Fight Like A Flynn!" so that "people can make informed decisions about their own healthcare needs when all options are provided to them without any coercion or undue influence."
At a Tiger Bay forum, she cited her time as executive director of America’s Future, Inc. - a nonprofit organization chaired by her brother − as experience necessary to examine the finances of SMH.
Beitlich is the executive director of Women & Children’s Services at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. She had worked at the hospital for 40 years.
She has pushed back on assertions by the medical freedom slate over the role of vaccines and government guidelines and regulation when it comes to the treatment of patients, especially for COVID-19.
Central District Seat 1: Sarah Lodge vs. Tanya Parus
Parus has also emphasized COVID-19 as a reason for her candidacy.
"Throughout the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, I have tirelessly rallied community members to the forefront, shedding light on the hardships faced within our hospital walls," her website says.
Lodge is the current chair of the hospital board and a vice president for RBC Wealth Management. She won her first race in 2020 by nearly 40,000 votes.
