Manatee County Unofficial Election Results: Voters Support School Funding Tax

Updated: 9:46 p.m., Tuesday

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — Despite staunch opposition from local Republican leaders, Manatee County voters support extending a School Board of Manatee County school funding tax referendum, based on unofficial results from the Supervisor of Elections office.

The 1-mill referendum originally passed in 2018. Voters selected yes or no to continue this 1 mill tax.

With all of Manatee County’s 70 precincts reporting their results as of 9:38 p.m., 47,206 voters said yes to renewing the tax, while 20,946 voted against its continuation, according to the Supervisor of Elections.

“As superintendent of our more than 50,000 students and 6,600 employees, I humbly thank the citizens of Manatee County for their overwhelming support of public education in our community,” Superintendent Cynthia Saunders said in a statement. “How blessed and grateful we are to live in a county that values its students, teachers and schools in such a spectacular way.”

The 1-mill funding will help the district remain “competitive with neighboring school districts like Sarasota and Pinellas counties – both of whom have had the additional mill for almost two decades,” the superintendent added.

Saunders said the funds will be used in the district to:

• add 30 minutes of instructional time to each school day
• increase pay for teachers and other district staff who work directly with students
• enhance and expand science, technology, engineer and math (STEM) programs, as well as career and technical education, and visual and performing arts offerings
• support local charter schools

Related Story: Election Day Manatee County: Where, How To Vote, Candidates

Though there was no board of county commissioners race this year, several municipalities had local races or considered referendums.

Holmes Beach

In Holmes Beach, voters are choosing three city commission members from five candidates. Incumbents Terry W. Schaefer and Carol Soustek have a slight lead, based on unofficial results, with 657 and 637 votes respectively. Both precincts have reported their results.

Just behind them is former commissioner Pat Morton with 630 votes. First-time candidate Renee Ferguson has 608 votes, while candidate John A. Monetti, also a former commissioner, has received 475 votes, according to the Supervisor of Elections.

Residents are also showing support for a right-of-way land swap referendum to vacate a 2,500 square feet right-of-way at 104 34th Street in exchange for 2,911 square feet of beachfront property. So far, 853 people have voted in favor of the referendum, while 371 have voted against it.

Bradenton Beach

City residents are deciding on their next mayor, choosing between incumbent John Chappie and challenger David Galuszka. Chappie leads the race, based on unofficial results, with 241 votes as of 7:37 p.m., while Galuszka has received 106 votes. The city only has one precinct, which reported its results to the Supervisor of Elections.

Voters also decided on a city charter amendment eliminating term limits, while requiring each term to last two years. So far, 177 voters have said no to the amendment, while 164 have voted in favor of it.

Anna Maria

Incumbents Carol Carter and Jonathan Crane ran unopposed and have retained their city commission seats.

Return to Patch tonight for the latest vote tally. Subscribe to free News Alerts for election results.

Longboat Key

In the town of Longboat Key, residents considered a referendum determining the residential density of property in the Buttonwood Harbour neighborhood.

The owner of 597 Buttonwood Drive is seeking permission to increase the density from office-institutional uses, which allows no density, to R-3SF zoning, which will allow a maximum of three residential units to be built on the land. The owner plans to only build two residential units on the property.

As of 9:40 p.m., 534 residents voted in favor of this density referendum, while 324 voted against it, according to the Supervisor of Elections Office.

Trailer Estates Fire District

Residents within the Trailer Estates Fire District voted on dissolving the district effective Sept. 30, 2022.

In unofficial results, the majority of residents — 408 of them — have voted in favor of dissolution, while 27 voted against it.