Sarasota, Manatee Voters Drawn To School Board Races In Primary Election

Updated: 4:11 p.m., Tuesday

SARASOTA-BRADENTON — As of Tuesday afternoon, both Sarasota and Manatee counties have seen more than a quarter of eligible voters turn out to cast their ballots in the primary election.

Democratic and Republican voters will determine their nominees for the Nov. 8 general election in certain races and some school board races are likely to be determined today.

According to the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office website, as of 4:01 p.m., voter turnout hit 32.69 percent Tuesday.

Of these votes, 59.7 percent were mail-in ballots, 13.5 percent were early voters and 26.7 percent have voted in person so far on election day.

“Things are going smoothly on a very busy election day. We are at more than (32) percent (unofficial turnout) for the Primary Election with several hours still to go. The turnout for the 2018 Primary Election was 31.95 percent,” Paul Donnelly, the office’s director of communications and voter outreach, told Patch.

And in Manatee County, voter turnout hit 27.97 percent as of 4:01 p.m. Of these votes, 64.7 percent were mailed in, 9.9 percent were early voters and 25.4 percent of voters cast their ballot in person on election day, according to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website.

Another 7,628 opted for early voting, while 14,466 voted in person on election day, the office said.

Dave Sluzevich, a volunteer poll watcher who also spent time Tuesday campaigning for school board candidate Cindy Spray outside the Bradenton Convention Center, told Patch that “it’s been relatively consistent with people coming in.”

While most seem to know who they were voting for ahead of walking through the convention center doors, many had questions about the races and he handed out some brochures, he added.

Many voters seemed interested in the outcome of the Manatee County School Board races, Sluzevich said. “A lot have said they’re liking the direction the school board is heading and want a change. They want to get back to traditional values.”

Though it was quiet outside the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library mid-morning, Helen James, president of the Suncoast Women of Action, a nonpartisan organization, told Patch that “earlier this morning there was a lot of energy. I expect there to be more around noon and hopefully after work.”

She said the school board race was of interest to both Democrat and Republican voters.

“The school board races are hotly contested,” James said. “People want to see changes on the school board. They feel they’ve gone too far – and that’s people on both sides. They want to see it come back to the middle.”

Because many school board races could be decided in the primary, school board candidate Susan Agruso, who was holding signs and greeting voters outside the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto Tuesday morning, said she wishes more people came out to vote.

“There are decisions that are being made today,” she told Patch. “And if you don’t vote, you don’t have a say.”

Doyel Ortiz, who voted at the convention center, said that he casts his ballot in every election, but this year is extra important because of his concerns about local schools.

“It’s always important to vote,” he told Patch. “But it’s more important because of all we have going on with the kids and this gender (expletive) and all the teachers who want to convince kids that women can be men and men can me women. That’s evil stuff.”

He added, “And they’re taking parents rights away.”

Ortiz also expressed his concern about gun rights being taken away and wanting to abolish abortion.

“It’s time people wake up and vote for the right candidates,” he said. “I’m against absolutely all this evil stuff going on in the world.”

Another man walking into the convention center was overheard saying, “We’ve got to get rid of the liberals. Liberals suck.”

In Sarasota, Alfredo Savigne, who voted at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library, told Patch that he was inspired to get to the polls Tuesday because “our country is going to (expletive).”

He added, “Thank God that we have DeSantis. There’s no more democratic process. This election is the most important. We need changes, real changes, or we’re going to lose everything. This election is the most important.”

Outside the Bradenton Dream Center, Albert Esaw told Patch that he also votes in every election, but this year seems the most important.

“I voter all the time,” he said. “I also come out for special issues. This year, I wanted some Democrats to so we can finally get some changes. The Republicans are just putting up a fight. They’re just ‘no’ guys. ‘No, no, no.’ And nothing is being done.”