BRADENTON BEACH – Voter approval of two conflicting parking garage amendments in the Nov. 3 election means that a prohibition of parking garages will not be added to the city charter.
Running unopposed in this year’s election, incumbent Bradenton Beach City Commissioners Ralph Cole and Marilyn Maro won additional two-year terms in office.
Running unopposed in Anna Maria, incumbent Mayor Dan Murphy and incumbent City Commissioner Mark Short won additional two-year terms in office.
Once the final Manatee County election results are certified, the Anna Maria City Commission will appoint someone to fill the commission term recently vacated by former commissioner Amy Tripp, who is moving out of state.
Anna Maria Island voters joined Manatee County voters in deciding several county, state and national races – including the District 3 Manatee County Commission race in which Kevin Van Ostenbridge held a significant lead as of 9 p.m. tonight.
County voters also supported a proposed bond referendum that will provide additional water quality protections and wildlife habitat preservation.
Parking garage status quo remains
Bradenton Beach voter support for two conflicting parking garage charter amendments means the city charter will remain as is, minus the inclusion of a new parking garage prohibition.
The city’s comprehensive plan and land development code already prohibit the construction of a multi-level or stand-alone parking garage, but the existing comp plan and land development code prohibitions could be reversed by a future city commission.
Voter adoption of proposed charter amendment 1 combined with voter rejection of proposed charter amendment 2 would have prevented a future city commission from reversing or amending the existing parking garage prohibitions.
There are currently no plans or proposals to build a multi-level parking garage in Bradenton Beach and the current city commission does not support the construction of a parking garage.
Bradenton Beach Charter Amendment Question 1 was placed on the ballot at the request of the Keep Our Residential Neighborhoods (KORN) political action committee formed in 2018 by Reed Mapes and John Metz.
The ballot language for charter amendment question 1 read as follows:
“Should the charter of Bradenton Beach be amended to prohibit the building of any multi-level parking garages within the city of Bradenton Beach? All other parking garages, facilities and structures are allowed as permitted by local law.”
In response to question 1, 410 votes (71.8%) were cast in favor of the proposed charter amendment 1 and 161 votes (28.2%) were cast in opposition of the proposed amendment.
Suggested by City Attorney Ricinda Perry and supported by the city commission in response to the proposed KORN amendment, charter amendment question 2 read as follows:
“Should the city amend its charter to: (1) Prohibit the approval, development and building of any stand-alone parking garage structures in all residential zoning districts; (2) Prohibit any multi-level parking garage, structure, or facility exceeding a total density of one multi-level parking garage within the entire municipal limits; and (3) Establish a mandatory citywide voter referendum to increase the multi-level parking garage density?
In response to question 2, 378 votes (67.02%) were cast in support of the proposed charter amendment that would allow one multi-level parking garage and 186 votes (32.98%) were cast in opposition to the proposed amendment.
As of 9 p.m., all of Bradenton Beach’s Election Day and early voting results had been tallied, but it was possible there could still be some remaining vote-by-mail ballots to be added to the reported totals.
County Commission races
As of 9 p.m., all Election Day and early voting ballots in each of Manatee County’s 70 voting precincts had been counted and reported, with some vote-by-mail ballots still not yet reported.
When contacted at that time and asked about the remaining mail ballots and their potential impact on any of the final results, Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett said, “Pretty much what you see is what you get.”
Bennett said he did not anticipate the outstanding mail ballots to alter the outcome of any county races.
In the County Commission District 3 race, Van Ostenbridge, a Republican, had received 22,897 votes (58.53%) and Bower, a non-party-affiliated candidate, had received 16,222 votes (41.47%). Van Ostenbridge will fill the commission seat vacated by one-term commissioner Steve Jonsson, who did not seek reelection.
In the County Commission District 1 race decided by District 1 voters only, Republican James Satcher is the winner. As of 9 p.m., Satcher had received 35,452, (65.6%). Democrat Dominique Brown received 18,593 votes (34.4%). Satcher will fill the commission seat being vacated by longtime Commissioner Priscilla Trace.
Running unopposed, incumbent Republican Commissioner Vanessa Baugh has claimed the County Commission District 5 race. As of 9 p.m., Baugh received 45,529 votes (87.82%) of the general election votes, with 6,314 votes (12.18%) cast for write-in candidates whose names did not appear on the ballot.
Running unopposed after defeating former County Administrator Ed Hunzeker in the Republican primary, George Kruse officially claimed the County Commission District 7 at-large race. As of 9 p.m., Kruse had received 157,382 votes (93.3%) and he will fill the seat being vacated by longtime Commissioner Betsy Benac.
Additional races
Running as the incumbent, Bennett, a Republican, won his reelection bid and he will remain Manatee County Supervisor of Elections. Bennett received 136,656 votes (65.65%) and his Democratic challenger, Charles Williams, received 71,516 votes (34.35%).
In the Manatee County School Board District 3 race won by Mary Foreman, Foreman received 110,746 votes (58.8 %). Incumbent school board member Dave “Watchdog” Miner received 77,593 votes (41.2%).
In the non-party-affiliated County Judge Group 4 race, race winner Melissa Gould received 113,511 votes (60,97%) and Kristy Zinna had received 72,676 votes (39.03%).
In the Mosquito Control District Group 2 race, incumbent Michael Daugherty has retained his seat having received 106,884 votes (61.49%). His challenger, Rodney O’Quinn, had received 66,944 votes (38.51%)
Manatee County bond referendum
Manatee County voters supported a proposed a millage increase and bond referendum question pertaining to water quality protection, fish and wildlife habitat preservation.
As of 9 p.m., the vote total for this referendum was 139,717 votes (71.27%) cast in favor of the millage increase and 56,323 votes (28.73%) cast in opposition.
The referendum ballot question read as follows: “To finance the acquisition, improvement and management of land to protect drinking water sources and water quality, preserve fish and wildlife habitat, prevent stormwater runoff pollution and provide parks, shall Manatee County levy an additional 0.15 mill ad valorem tax and issue general obligation bonds in a total principal amount not exceeding $50 million, maturing within 20 years, bearing interest not exceeding the legal rate, payable from such ad valorem taxes, with annual public audits?”
State seats
In a race decided by voters in Manatee County and a portion of Hillsborough County, Republican Jim Boyd has apparently won the State Senate District 21 race. In Manatee County, Boyd received 128,614 votes (61.78%) and Democrat Anthony “Tony” Eldon had received 79,583 votes (38.22%). Boyd also held a significant lead in Hillsborough County.
Decided by Manatee and Sarasota county voters, Republican incumbent William Robinson Jr. is winning the State Representative District 71 race. In Manatee County, Robinson has received 43.072 votes (59.98%). His Democratic challenger, Andy Mele, had received 28,742 votes (40.02%). Robinson also held a 2 percentage point lead in Sarasota County.
Presidential race
And in the much-anticipated presidential race, incumbent Republican President Donald Trump has apparently carried Manatee County. As of 9 p.m., Trump received 123,316 votes (57.67 %) in Manatee County and Democratic challenger Joe Biden received 88,275 votes (41.28%).
The full unofficial and updated Manatee County elections results can be viewed at www.votemanatee.com.
