Updated: Tuesday, 9:05 p.m.
In the District 1 Sarasota County school board race, Heidi Brandt holds a lead over Jimmy Glover, unofficial results show on Tuesday night.
The two were the top vote-getters in the Aug. 18 primary election for the seat left vacant by Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler, moving them into a run-off in the Nov. 3. general election.
Glover led the three-candidate primary race for the seat by winning 43.75 percent of the vote, while Brandt earned 31.56 percent and Teresa DeWitt earned 24.7 percent.
As of about 9 p.m. on Nov. 3, Brandt led their run-off race with about 56.28 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office. Glover earned about 43.72 percent of the vote.
During the primaries, Democrat-backed candidates earned two Sarasota County School Board seats — Megan Tennimon in District 4 and Beth Mayberry in District 5.
Over the past four years, the school board has maintained a conservative majority, with members like Ziegler, Robyn Marinelli, and Karen Rose focusing on matters such as parental rights, book bans, opposition to LGBTQ+ inclusion, and support for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's policies.
With all three conservative incumbents leaving their seats, voters were given a chance to reshape the board this election season.
Even if Glover loses the District 1 seat, the board still has a newly elected liberal majority after the primary.
Updated: Tuesday, 8:46 p.m.
Jen Ahearn-Koch and Flo Entler have been elected to serve four-year terms on the Sarasota City Commission, based on unofficial results from Tuesday's general election, Sarasota city officials said in a news release.
They ran in a field of five candidates for two available at-large seats. Ahearn-Koch, Entler and a third candidate, John Harshman, were the top three vote-getters in the Aug. 18 primary election, and moved on to the Nov. 3 run-off race.
On Election Day, Ahearn-Koch earned 40.72 percent of the vote, while Entler took home 35.07 percent of the vote, unofficial results from the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office show. Harshman trailed them with 24.21 percent of the vote.
The commissioners-elect will be sworn into office at the City Commission's statutory meeting scheduled for Nov. 6 at noon at City Hall, 1565 First Street.
SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Polls have closed on Election Day across Sarasota County, though anyone still in line at the time of their 7 p.m. closure will still be allowed to cast a ballot.
Voters in the Sarasota area had a say in governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, and state legislative races, along with local contests, in the Nov. 3 midterm election.
They also made decisions on state constitutional amendments and county charter referendums on Tuesday.
In Sarasota, the local races of note included the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners, the School Board of Sarasota County and the Sarasota County Commission.
Board of County Commissioners, District 4
| Candidate | Party/status | Votes | Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim DeNiro | Republican | 26,505 | 55.97 |
| Julie London | Democrat | 20,853 | 44.03 |
School Board, District 1
| Candidate | Party/status | Votes | Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heidi Brandt | non-partisan race | 108,766 | 56.28 |
| Jimmy Glover | non-partisan race | 84,476 | 43.72 |
At-Large Seats (Vote for Two)
| Candidate | Party/status | Votes | Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jen Ahearn-Koch | non-partisan race | 11,690 | 40.72 |
| Florence Entler | non-partisan race | 10,067 | 35.07 |
| John Harshman | non-partisan race | 6,951 | 24.21 |
Check back here with Patch for local results as they're reported throughout the night.
Most Florida polling places were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST on Election Day, while some counties in the Panhandle are open until 8 p.m. EST because they're in the Central Time Zone. Expect results to start being released at 8 p.m.
The Sarasota County ballot issues identified in the election guide concern the county's environmentally sensitive lands and parkland program.
Continue Environmentally Sensitive Lands and Parkland Program
Would extend the existing property tax of up to 0.25 mill for the county's land conservation and parkland program through Dec. 31, 2049. The current authorization runs through 2029.
Choices:
Bond Referendum for Land and Parkland
Would authorize Sarasota County to issue up to $250 million in additional bonds to acquire and manage environmentally sensitive lands and parkland. The bonds would be repaid through the program's property tax.
Choices:
Amendment 1 — Budget Stabilization Fund
Would increase the amount of money that may be held in Florida's budget stabilization fund from 10% to 25% of general revenue collections. It also would require annual transfers into the fund under specified conditions and allow lawmakers to withdraw money for critical state needs.
Choices:
Amendment 2 — Exemption of Agricultural Property From Taxation
Would exempt qualifying tangible personal property located on agricultural land and used for agricultural production or agritourism activities from property taxes. If approved, the exemption would first apply to the 2027 tax year.
Choices:
Amendment 3 — Increased Homestead Exemption and Lower Cap on Non-Homestead Property Assessments
Would increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments afterward. It also would reduce the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5% and establish restrictions on how counties and municipalities may use property tax revenue.
Choices:
Follow along with Patch throughout the night on the biggest issues around town.
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