The deadline for Sarasota and Manatee County residents to register to vote or change their party affiliation in time for the Aug. 20 primary elections is Monday, July 22.
A total of 325,913 Sarasota County residents had registered to vote as of Wednesday, about 47% as Republicans and 26% as Democrats. Manatee has 273,081 registered voters, with a split of nearly 48% registered Republicans and 25% Democrats.
What Sarasota County races are on the Aug. 20 primary ballot?
The most high profile Sarasota County primary elections are on the Republican side. Two County Commission primaries will likely be the decisive contests for the consistently red Sarasota County: Commissioner Neil Rainford against former Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight for District 3 and between two Charter Review Board members, Teresa Mast and Alexandra Coe for District 1.
Former Charlotte County Director of Tax Operations Charles Bear and Sarasota County Commission Chairman Mike Moran will face off to see who will challenge incumbent Democratic Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates.
There are also two contests for the Sarasota School Board and Charter Review Board and five for the Charter Review Board; as well as commission races for the cities of Sarasota, Venice, and North Port.
What Manatee County races are on the Aug. 20 primary ballot?
The stakes are high in a primary race for the at-large Manatee County commission District 7 seat between current commissioners George Kruse and Kevin Van Ostenbridg e. Kruse is the seat's incumbent. He aims to stave off a challenge by Van Ostenbridge, who serves as District 3 commissioner and is the board's former chairman. The race materialized in late May after several county candidates changed the seats they sought.
Another high profile primary race that emerged out of the shuffle is a contest between Republicans Talha Siddique and April Culbreath, who are running to replace Van Ostenbridge as District 3 commissioner. Culbreath, who has become a polarizing figure in her role as chair of the Manatee Republican Executive Committee , flipped races with Van Ostenbridge and challenged Siddique for District 3.
The race for Manatee County Supervisor of Elections has also risen to the spotlight. Former District 1 County Commissioner James Satcher was appointed to the role by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April over Scott Farrington, the man who served as chief of staff for longtime supervisor Mike Bennett. Now, the decision between Satcher and Farrington will be left up to Republican voters in a closed primary, as there is no Democratic challenger vying for the seat during the general election.
When is the deadline to request an absentee ballot for the Aug. 20 primary?
The deadline for registered Sarasota and Manatee voters to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the primary is Thursday, Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. Those who fill out an absentee ballot can drop it off at any Sarasota County elections office through Aug. 20, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays, from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on the two weekends before the primary election, or from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on election day.
For Manatee County voters, vote-by-mail ballots can be placed into the ballot drop-off slot built into the front of the Supervisor of Election's office. The drop-off slot is available during office hours starting the day that vote by mail ballots have been mailed out and ending at 7 p.m. on election day. A secure drop box will also be available at every early voting location dedicated to vote by mail ballot drop-off as well.
When is early voting for the Aug. 20 primary?
Early in-person voting will begin on Saturday, Aug. 10 and continue through Saturday Aug. 17 in Manatee County and Sunday, Aug. 18 in Sarasota County.
Also: DeSantis appoints Manatee County Commissioner James Satcher as elections supervisor
More: Republicans Van Ostenbridge, Kruse set to face off in major Manatee County primary race
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Deadline for Sarasota County, Manatee voters to register for primary elections is July 22
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