MANATEE COUNTY – The Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office is taking steps to minimize the impacts back-to-back hurricanes have on the general election that concludes Nov. 5, with vote-by-mail ballots already being cast and in-person early voting beginning Monday.
On Friday, the elections office issued a press release on behalf of acting Supervisor of Elections James Satcher.
“Despite these challenging times, we know that Manatee County is a resilient community. Our priority is to make sure you can exercise your right to vote in this important upcoming election,” Satcher said in the press release.
“For those committed to voting in person, we encourage you to take advantage of our eight early voting locations that were not impacted and remain the same. You can find these locations at www.VoteManatee.gov. Early voting begins on Monday, Oct. 21, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.,” the press release says.
The press release notes five polling locations were directly impacted by the hurricanes and the following changes have been made for in-person voting on Nov. 5.
Precinct 301 voters in Anna Maria and Precinct 305 voters in Holmes Beach will vote at the Island Branch Library in Holmes Beach, 5701 Marina Dr.
Precinct 307 voters in Bradenton Beach will now vote in Longboat Key at the Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Precinct 409 voters in Bradenton will vote at the State College of Florida in Bradenton, 5840 26th St. W.
Precinct 421 voters in Bradenton will now vote at the Trailer Estates Recreation Hall in Bradenton, 6814 Canada Blvd.
Voters can visit the supervisor of elections website to verify their polling location.
Oct. 24 is the final day to request a mail ballot to be mailed to you and Nov. 5 is the final day to request a mail ballot for in-person pickup at the elections office, 600 301 Blvd. W. in Bradenton. If picking up a mail ballot in person, the elections office asks that you call in your ballot request ahead of time, if possible, at 941-741-3823, to expedite the process.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his election-related executive order during a press conference held in Anna Maria in front of the Hurricane Helene-damaged Rod & Reel Pier. – Joe Hendricks | SunWhen the governor appeared in Anna Maria after Hurricane Helene, the hurricane-damaged Rod & Reel Pier remained partially intact. It was later destroyed by Hurricane Milton. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
An executive order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Oct. 3 allows vote-by-mail ballots to be mailed to an address that is different than the address currently on file with the elections office. These types of vote-by-mail address changes can be done by e-mail or phone. In addition to maintaining a vote-by-mail request on file, you must provide your driver’s license number or social security number to verify the identity of the voter making the address change.
Completed mail ballots can also be dropped off at any early voting location or at the Supervisor of Elections Office.
Additional information
Regarding voters displaced by the hurricanes and voters unable to receive mail at their residence, the supervisor of elections website says the United States Post Office is delivering vote-by-mail ballots where possible and vote-by-mail ballots that cannot be delivered are being held at the voter’s local post office for pick up. Manatee voters affected in this manner can contact the elections office 941-741-3823 for assistance.
Regarding postage requirements, the elections website says, “The postage required to return a vote-by-mail ballot is $1.01. It is the voter’s responsibility to apply accurate postage on all mail, including vote-by-mail ballots. However, vote-by-mail are coded by USPS as special mail and will be delivered to the elections office without delay, no matter the postage applied.”
On Oct. 16, with supervisor-elect Scott Farrington observing as an audience member, the Manatee County Canvassing Board tested and certified the vote-by-mail and in-person ballot scanners to be used during the election and the new Clear Ballot audit system to be used to conduct a post-election audit of every ballot cast.
Elections office staff helped test the ballot scanners. – Joe Hendricks | SunSupervisor-elect Scott Farrington attended the canvassing board meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
For more election-related information, visit www.VoteManatee.gov , the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Facebook Page, call 941-741-3823 or email info@votemanatee.gov.
MANATEE COUNTY – The 2024 primary election cycle is complete and the primary elections results are official. Now it’s on to the general election that concludes in November.
Supervisor of Elections Office Chief of Staff David Ballard issued this informal declaration on Aug. 29 at the conclusion of the lengthy and at times contentious canvassing board meeting that coincided with the post-election certification audit of the ballots cast in two Manatee County precincts.
The three-member canvassing board certified the Aug. 20 primary election results on Aug. 22, but the results are not considered to be official until the post-election certification audit is completed.
Supervisor of Elections Office Chief of Staff David Ballard explained the post-election certification audit process. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The uneventful audit process took approximately two hours and consisted of sealed ballots from two randomly-selected voting precincts being removed from their sealed containers and hand tabulated by elections office staff in a public setting inside the elections office in Bradenton. Precinct 209 in Palmetto and Precinct 323 in west Bradenton were the two precincts subjected to the audit, in which the hand-tabulated results matched the previous ballot scanning results with no discrepancies or rejected ballots identified.
Contentious discussion
County Judge Melissa Gould chairs the canvassing board that also includes Bradenton City Councilwoman Lisa Gonzalez Moore and Manatee County Sheriff ‘s Office General Counsel Eric Werbeck, with County Judge Renee Inman and former County Commissioner Reggie Bellamy serving as alternates.
During the Aug. 29 meeting, Supervisor of Elections appointee and defeated primary election candidate James Satcher objected to the approval of recent canvassing board meeting minutes prepared by Gould.
Presented in summary form as required by state law, Satcher said the minutes did not accurately reflect the long, detailed and nuanced discussions that took place at the canvassing board meetings. At Satcher and Ballard’s request, the audio recordings of those past meetings will be attached to the meeting minutes and detailed transcriptions of those audio recordings will be prepared.
Interim Supervisor of Elections James Satcher aired many grievances during the Aug. 29 canvassing board meeting.- Joe Hendricks | Sun
Satcher also objected to the canvassing board retaining the legal services of the Bentley Goodrich Kison law firm. On Aug. 29, Gould noted that Morgan Bentley’s law firm currently represents the Sarasota County canvassing board and that Bentley has vast election law experience.
When voicing his objection to the board retaining Bentley’s law firm, Satcher noted that Bentley previously represented the elections office when Mike Bennett served as supervisor. He also noted that Bennett supported Scott Farrington in the recent Supervisor of Elections primary race in which Farrington defeated Satcher.
On or around Aug. 16, the canvassing board authorized Gould to secure legal representation should it be needed in the future. This occurred after Gould told Satcher, who was still a candidate at the time, that he was not allowed to participate in canvassing board meetings.
In response, Satcher obtained written guidance from Florida Department of State General Counsel Brad McVay.
In his Aug. 16 email response to Satcher, McVay cited Florida Statute 102.141, which notes the canvassing board shall include the supervisor of elections.
“The supervisor, however, shall act in an advisory capacity to the canvassing board,” according to the statute cited in McVay’s email.
In his own words, McVay’s email stated, “The law is clear you ‘shall act in an advisory capacity to the canvassing board.’ Therefore, it is your determination to make as to what is necessary to best ac t in your advisory capacity as the supervisor of elections, including but not limited to your presence within the canvassing board room. With that being said, given that you are required to serve in an advisory capacity to the canvassing board and you are also an active candidate on the primary election ballot, you will want to do your best to avoid intermingling your official duties as supervisor with that of an incumbent candidate. Consideration should be given to ways that allow you to fulfill your required duty but also ensure confidence, integrity and transparency in the process.”
When contacted on Sept. 1, Bennett told The Sun he did not participate in canvassing board meetings during election cycles in which he himself was a candidate.
On Aug. 29, Satcher said the meeting minutes did not accurately reflect the board’s request that he be removed from the canvassing board meeting room on Aug. 16.
He also asked Gould to step down from the canvassing board because he feels she has not conducted herself in an impartial manner.
“It’s sad that we’ve run so far afield from that,” Satcher said when airing his many grievances.
County Judge Melissa Gould rejected James Satcher’s request that she remove herself from the canvassing board. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When declining Satcher’s request to step down, Gould said, “Mr. Satcher, one of the things that falls within the purview of the canvassing board is election integrity and everything that I do is an attempt to preserve that. That is one of the board goals and that is how I conducted myself.”
In addition to The Sun, three members of the public attended the Aug. 29 canvassing board meeting: League of Women Voters of Manatee County members Merrie Lynn Parker and Ruth Harenchar and techHouse founder and CEO Kathy Dupree. Attendees were allowed to give public input, which was done that day via handwritten comment cards.
Read aloud by Gould with no names given, one public comment card expressed appreciation for the professionalism displayed by Gould, Moore and Werbeck.
Another comment card addressed the conduct of Satcher and his staff and said, “Staff is observed to be capable and diligent. Mr. Ballard’s guidance is seen as helpful. Mr. Satcher’s behavior has been observed to be obstructive, petulant and petty.”
Clear ballot pending
The tension between Satcher and the canvassing board dates back to Aug. 6, when Gould, Moore and Werbeck unanimously ruled that Satcher could not use the Clear Ballot auditing system he purchased in late July for approximately $200,000. Satcher’s intent was to audit every ballot cast in the primary and general elections, but the canvassing board ruled the Clear Ballot system could not be used for the primary because the required pre-election testing of the system was not mentioned in the public notice for the Aug. 6 canvassing board meeting.
The lack of proper notice for the Clear Ballot system was pointed out that day by Farrington, who later defeated Satcher by 7,276 votes in the primary election.
In anticipation of using the Clear Ballot system to audit the general election ballots, the system is scheduled to be tested at the canvassing board’s Oct. 16 meeting.
Despite his primary defeat, Satcher will remain in office until Farrington’s elected four-year term begins on Jan. 7.
MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County Supervisor of Elections candidates Scott Farrington and James Satcher squared off in a June 19 debate hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club. After the debate, both candidates issued debate-related campaign messages.
In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher to serve the remaining months of the four-year Supervisor of Elections term that Mike Bennett vacated when he retired in March. Satcher was serving as the District 1 county commissioner at the time. Farrington, then the Supervisor of Elections Chief of Staff, also sought the gubernatorial appointment and resigned from office the day it was awarded to Satcher.
With no Democratic candidate entered in the race, the winner of the Aug. 20 Republican primary election will serve as Supervisor of Elections for the next four years.
When non-party-affiliated candidate Thomas Dell joined the race as a write-in, the Supervisor of Elections primary race became closed to all but registered Republican voters. Because of Dell’s actions, Democrat and non-party-affiliated voters can’t vote in the closed primary. Dell also served as a primary-closing write-in candidate in 2020 and 2012.
Opening remarks
Lakewood Ranch Republican Club Vice President Bruce Stamm moderated the debate, asking questions club members submitted in advance.
During his opening remarks, Satcher said, “I came into politics kicking and screaming. My background is in ministry and that’s not something I’m ashamed of.”
Satcher noted he received 66% of the District 1 votes cast in the 2020 election and was one of the county commission’s most conservative leaders during his time in office.
“On April 12th, the governor of Florida appointed me the Supervisor of Elections and I’m proud to serve in that capacity,” he added.
Farrington said he worked in the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office for 10 years before spending the past 11 years working in the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office and serving as Bennett’s chief of staff.
“I’m going to venture a guess that most of you voted in Manatee County before and I’m also going to say you had a good experience in that process and you trusted that when you cast that ballot, that ballot was counted the way you intended. Mike Bennett, myself and the staff at the elections office did that for 11 years with the highest level of integrity, the highest level of security and that’s what experience gets you. It also gets it to you on a budget, without cutting corners.”
Debate topics
The first question Stamm posed sought the name of the candidates’ campaign consultants and consulting firms.
Satcher refused to divulge the name of his campaign consultant and said, “I’m tempted not to answer that question. I don’t know what it has to do with my performance as the Supervisor of Elections. Sure, I have a political consultant.”
Satcher’s Appointment of Campaign Treasurer form lists Wendy White as his campaign treasurer. White shares the same Tampa address as political consultant Anthony Pedicini’s Strategic Image Management (SIMWINS) consulting firm. According to Satcher’s June 15 campaign treasurer’s report, his campaign paid Pedicini’s SIMWINS consulting firm $40,000 on June 1.
James Satcher’s campaign paid Anthony Pedicini’s SIMWINS consulting firm $40,000 on June 1. – Manatee County Supervisor of Elections | Submitted
Satcher, Kevin Van Ostenbridge, George Kruse and Vanessa Baugh utilized Pedicini’s services during their successful 2020 county commission campaigns and White is currently serving as campaign treasurer for Van Ostenbridge, fellow county commission candidates April Culbreath, Ray Turner and Steve Metallo and school board candidate Jonathan Lynch.
After noting that Satcher didn’t answer the question, Farrington said Bennett and one of Bennett’s past associates have provided consultation in an unofficial capacity.
When asked about the experience they’d bring to the elections office, Satcher said, “My experience was in ministry. My experience after that was the county commission.”
Supervisor of Elections appointee James Satcher hopes to retain that position for the next four years. – LWRRC.com | Submitted
Farrington said while working in the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office he earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in information systems management from the University of South Florida. He’s also received a Master Florida Election Certified Professional certificate from the state of Florida and a Certified Election Registrar and Administrator certificate from The National Association of Election Professionals.
The candidates were asked what single change they’d make to the voting process if given total autonomy to do so.
Farrington said he would extend early voting through Election Day rather than ending it the weekend before Election Day.
“If you vote on Election Day, you have to go to your precinct, whether it’s convenient for you or not on that day. I would like to extend it through Election Day and then you could go to whatever precinct was most convenient,” Farrington said.
“I believe we should have a national holiday on Election Day and we should go back to everyone voting on Election Day,” Satcher said, noting that overseas military personnel and those with illnesses and other circumstances could still use absentee ballots.
“I think we’d be better off if we were all voting in person,” Satcher said.
Lakewood Ranch Republican Club Vice President Bruce Stamm moderated the debate. – LWRRC.com | Submitted
Stamm noted the Florida Division of Elections recently presented a report to the Florida Legislature that stated there were very few issues and complaints associated with the 2020 and 2016 general elections in Manatee County. Stamm also mentioned Satcher’s recent request to the county commission to increase the elections office budget and his desire to implement the Clear Ballot ballot imagery system prior to the November election.
Stamm asked what, if any, election issues need to be addressed.
“No system that requires human input is perfect,” Farrington said. “I’ve always said elections would be great if we could take the voters out of it. They would be perfect, ”Farrington joked, prompting laughter from the crowd.
“But I am unaware of any circumstance or issue that garnered the scrutiny that would require security measures beyond what we have in place,” he added.
Regarding the Clear Ballot system, Satcher said, “If we have systems in place that the liberals can’t come against and can’t argue there’s anything wrong with them, what’s wrong with having a picture of every single ballot that’s cast? We need to have confidence in this election.”
Closing remarks
During closing remarks, Satcher said, “The Supervisor of Elections office is really the area that we need to be safeguarding across the state, across the nation and obviously here in Manatee County.”
Regarding the closed primary race, Satcher said, “Every left-wing journalist across Manatee County, they’re only putting out one side of the story and then at the end they say if you want to switch your registration, you can. They want liberals to vote in my election to skew my election the other way. Over and over and over again they’re encouraging election interference, telling Democrats to swap parties and then saying you can still vote however you want in November.”
Former SOE Chief of Staff Scott Farrington hopes to serve as Manatee County’s next Supervisor of Elections. – LWRRC.com | Submitted
Farrington then said, “This race is a primary race and it’s a primary race because a write-in filed. That write-in closed the primary, so that means only Republicans can vote. I believe the Supervisor of Elections represents all voters. Elections are not Republican. They are not Democrat. They do not belong to either party. They belong to all voters. If you want to be able to trust your election, you need to be able to trust that the Supervisor of Elections is not bent one way or the other. Every voter, despite party, should have had an opportunity to vote on who they want their supervisor to be.”
Post-debate comments
On June 24 and 25, the Satcher campaign distributed a campaign message focused on a single comment Farrington made during the debate: “Elections would be great if we could take the voters out of it.”
Satcher’s campaign message said, “You read that right. Big government bureaucrat Scott Farrington believes you are the problem with our elections. Scott Farrington thinks your vote shouldn’t count. He’s just like the liberals. Don’t let Scott Farrington steal your vote.”
On June 25, Farrington posted a response at his campaign Facebook page: “I hesitate to even acknowledge the negative ‘ads’ sent via text and email to voters in Manatee County. Many of you have reached out with your own thoughts on these types of campaigns and misleading tactics.
“I have served voters in Manatee County for over a decade. And I have done that with integrity and transparency – always with the voter in mind. I said from the beginning that I would run my campaign based on my experience and ability to do the job. This kind of negative campaigning does not change that.
“I encourage you to watch the entire debate. You can determine for yourself who has the competence, the integrity and the knowledge to protect your elections and your vote.
“The debate starts at the 26-minute mark and the specific question and answer section that was taken entirely out of context for an attack ad starts at the 1:07 mark,” Farrington stated.
Non-Republican voters who wish to vote in the Aug. 20 Republican primary that will also determine or help determine the winners of multiple county commission races can legally and easily change their party affiliation at the state-run Register To Vote Florida website before the July 22 deadline.
MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County Supervisor of Elections candidate Scott Farrington has secured enough petition signatures to avoid paying a $10,133 qualifying fee.
The one-week qualifying period for county candidates begins on Monday, June 10 at noon and ends on Friday, June 14 at noon. Farrington will face interim Supervisor of Elections appointee James Satcher in the Republican primary that concludes on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Farrington spent 12 years with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office and was serving as chief of staff when he resigned on April 12. Farrington resigned after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher, a sitting Manatee County commissioner, to serve the remaining months of the four-year term that Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett vacated when he resigned on March 1. Farrington filed his preliminary candidate’s paperwork in late January, long before DeSantis appointed Satcher.
DeSantis appointed Satcher to serve as the interim Supervisor of Elections despite Satcher having no previous experience supervising an election or working in an election office. Once appointed, Satcher forfeited the remaining months of his District 1 county commission term.
On April 24, Satcher filed a campaign redesignation letter that stated he was resigning his candidacy for the District 1 county commission seat and running as a Supervisor of Elections candidate instead.
Petitions verified
When qualifying for elected office, Florida law requires candidates to pay a qualifying fee that equals 6% of the annual salary for the office sought. The qualifying fee is waived if the candidate secures enough verified petition signatures to equal 1% of the total number of registered voters as of the last general election for the office sought.
On May 7, Satcher, as Supervisor of Elections, issued a letter to Farrington that said, “This is official notification, pursuant to Section 99.095, Florida Statutes, that you have obtained the required number of valid signatures on your candidate petitions as a Republican candidate for the office of the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections. This certification excuses you from paying the qualifying fee and any party assessment when seeking to qualify for this office.”
When contacted on May 10, Farrington said he needed 2,806 verified signatures and he submitted more than 3,500, with approximately 600 signatures still awaiting verification.
James Satcher will have to pay a $10,133 qualifying fee. – Manatee County | Submitted
When contacted by The Sun, Supervisor of Elections Office Deputy Chief Sharon Stief said Satcher did not previously collect petition signatures for his county commission reelection bid and did not collect petition signatures for his current Supervisor of Elections candidacy. To have his name placed on the ballot, Satcher must pay a $10,113 qualifying fee, which he can do using some of the $70,500 he previously secured for his county commission reelection bid. To date, Farrington has raised $10,300.
Primary matters
Florida is a closed primary state. As of May 10, no other candidates had filed to run in the Supervisor of Elections race. If that remains the case, all of Manatee County’s registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, can vote in the Supervisor of Elections primary race.
If a Democrat or non-party-affiliated candidate joins the race and qualifies to run, the Supervisor of Elections race becomes a closed primary race for Republican voters only. If that happens, the August primary will determine who serves as Manatee County’s next Supervisor of Elections.
As an election tactic frequently used statewide, including in Manatee County, a non-party-affiliated candidate enters a race simply to close the primary race to the members of the other party and increase the odds of a preferred candidate winning. These primary-closing candidates generally do not solicit campaign contributions or actively campaign.
Voters are able to offset these primary closing tactics by changing their party affiliation before the potential single-party primary election takes place. July 22 is the deadline to change one’s party affiliation to Republican in order to vote in the Supervisor of Elections primary race and any applicable Republican county commission primary races.
Changing party affiliation can be easily done by visiting www.RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov. Party affiliation can then be easily reversed before the general election concludes on Tuesday, Nov. 5 even though party affiliation is not relevant in a general election.
MANATEE COUNTY – Interim Manatee County Supervisor of Elections James Satcher has filed his preliminary paperwork to run for election to that position on a long-term basis.
On April 12, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher, a first-term county commissioner, to serve as the interim supervisor of elections despite having no prior experience supervising an election or managing an elections office.
DeSantis appointed Satcher to serve the remaining months of the four-year supervisor of elections term vacated by longtime Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett, who resigned on March 1. Satcher’s appointed term expires soon after the upcoming general election in November.
On April 24, Satcher filed his one-paragraph campaign redesignation letter that said, “I, James Satcher, am resigning my candidacy from Manatee County Commission District 1 and filing a new DS-DE 9 for the supervisor of elections race.”
Scott Farrington formerly served as chief of staff for the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office. – VoteScottFarrington.com | Submitted
Satcher will face longtime Supervisor of Elections Office Chief of Staff Scott Farrington in the Republican primary race that concludes Aug. 20.
Currently, no Democratic candidate or non-party affiliated candidate has filed to run in that race. If that remains the case, the August primary will determine who serves as Manatee County’s next supervisor of elections.
If no non-Republican candidates enter the primary race, the primary will be open to all Manatee County voters regardless of party affiliation. If a non-Republican candidate joins the race, the primary will be closed to Republican voters only.
The winner of the race will serve a four-year term as the elected supervisor of elections.
Satcher brings to his supervisor of elections campaign $70,500 in campaign contributions he previously received for his reelection bid for the District 1 Manatee County Commission seat he was elected to in 2020.
Farrington was in his 12th year of service with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office when he resigned following Satcher’s unexpected appointment. To date, Farrington has raised $10,300 for his election campaign and he’s currently collecting the petition signatures needed to qualify for inclusion on the ballot. The official qualifying period for election to a county office begins June 10 and ends June 14.
Redesignating funds
According to Florida election law, a candidate can change the designation of the office they seek to another elected office. If the candidate received campaign contributions for the original office they sought, the candidate must notify in writing each previous contributor and offer to return their contribution.
Within 15 days of filing the change of resignation, the candidate must send written notice to all contributors. In that notice, the candidate must offer to return to the contributor, on a pro rata basis, all contributions given in support of the original office.
The candidate must include with the notice a copy of Form DS-DE 86, which is a request for return of contribution. If the contributor returns Form DS-DE 86 within 30 days of receiving the notice, the candidate must return a pro rata share of all contributions given in support of the original office.
If the contributor does not return Form DS-DE 86 within 30 days of receiving the notice, the candidate may use the contribution for the newly designated office up to the maximum of the contribution limits allowed by law.
The full amount of the contribution for the original office shall count toward the contribution limits for the new office. Any amount that exceeds the contribution limits for the new office must be properly disposed of pursuant to law.
MANATEE COUNTY – County voters will ultimately determine whether former Chief of Staff Scott Farrington or recent gubernatorial appointee James Satcher serves as Manatee County’s next supervisor of elections.
Farrington and Satcher are expected to square off in the Republican primary election that concludes on Aug. 20.
If no Democrat or non-party-affiliated candidate joins the race, the primary will determine the race winner.
On April 12, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher, then a Manatee County commissioner, to serve the remaining months of the four-year term that longtime supervisor Mike Bennett vacated on March 1 after announcing his retirement in January. Satcher has no previous experience conducting an election or managing an elections office and his appointed term expires after the November election.
As Bennett’s longtime chief of staff, Farrington oversaw the elections office operations from March 1 until April 12. He resigned the day DeSantis appointed Satcher. He was in his 12th year with the Manatee elections office, preceded by 10 years with the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office.
In January, with Bennett’s resignation pending, Farrington filed to run for the elected four-year Supervisor of Elections term that will begin after the November elections. As of Sunday, Satcher had not yet filed to run in the supervisor of elections race but he’s expected to file soon.
SATCHER TAKES OVER
In his new role, Satcher made a brief appearance before the county commission on April 16. While noting he’d soon seek additional county funds to address staffing and equipment needs, Satcher inferred that Farrington refused to provide the passwords needed to access the elections office computers.
Supervisor of Elections James Satcher appeared before the county commission on April 16. – YouTube | Submitted
“One person left on Friday of his own accord and took all the passwords with him and refused to give them to our technology department when we called and asked for the passwords,” Satcher said.
Farrington and Bennett later disputed Satcher’s allegation.
After Farrington’s departure, Satcher hired Manatee County Commissioner Amanda Ballard’s husband, David Ballard, to serve as his chief of staff, despite Ballard currently being on probation in Manatee County.
On Feb. 1, 2023, the Florida Highway Patrol arrested Ballard on suspicion of driving under the influence with property damage and/or personal injury. He was also charged with leaving the scene of a crash. On March 6, 2023, the Bradenton Police Department arrested Ballard on suspicion of driving under the influence, refusal to submit to testing and driving with license canceled, suspended or revoked.
David Ballard was arrested twice in 2023 on suspicion driving under the influence. – Submitted
According to the March 6 probable cause affidavit, the responding officer smelled a faint smell of alcohol on Ballard’s breath. Ballard told the officer he had not consumed any alcohol that day but was taking prescribed medications that included Klonopin and alcohol withdrawal medicine. Ballard told the officer he was traveling home from the Centerstone rehabilitation facility when the accident occurred.
According to the March 6 probable cause affidavit, “Once officers arrived on scene, the defendant (Ballard) advised that his wife was driving and he was a passenger. He stated that she left the scene to make a phone call. She arrived shortly after and advised this was not true. He later stated that he forgot he was actually driving.”
On Aug. 24, 2023, Ballard pled no contest to the driving under the influence charge associated with his Feb. 1 arrest. He also pled no contest to all three counts associated with his March 6 arrest. According to the order of probation issued that day, Ballard was placed on probation for one year and his driver’s license was suspended for five years.
FARRINGTON SPEAKS
When speaking to The Sun on April 19, Farrington addressed the governor’s decision and said, “I was disappointed, but there’s nothing I can do about that now.”
Farrington confirmed he’ll remain in the supervisor of elections race and he’s happy Manatee County voters will decide who serves in that role for the next four years.
“I am running because I think the people of Manatee County deserve a choice. Right now, one choice is already laid out. I believe I offer a different option – one of experience. I have over 20 years of elections experience. Some people might not think that’s important, but there’s so much involved in running an election. I offer experience, integrity and honest elections,” Farrington said.
He’s now collecting the petition signatures needed as part of the candidate qualifying process.
“If anybody’s interested in signing one, they can go to my website, VoteScottFarrington.com, and download it, sign it and send it in,” he said.
Regarding Satcher’s claim about withheld passwords, Farrington said, “I did not take any passwords and I did not refuse to give any passwords back. That’s not true.”
BENNETT DISAPPOINTED
When speaking to The Sun on April 18, Bennett noted DeSantis has often expressed his desire for election integrity, yet he appointed a supervisor of elections with no previous experience and strong partisan political beliefs.
When announcing his resignation, Bennett sent DeSantis a letter that recommended Farrington be appointed to serve as the interim supervisor. Bennett said DeSantis never contacted him about the pending appointment, nor did any of the governor’s staff.
“I’m extremely disappointed with the governor and I’m extremely disappointed with (former Florida Senator) Bill Galvano for taking the lead on getting the governor to make that appointment,” Bennett said.
Regarding Satcher’s appointment, Bennett said, “To take somebody who has no knowledge of elections and never volunteered to sit on the canvassing board? He knows nothing about it. And then he hires a guy who’s on probation and can’t even drive the supervisor’s car to check on a polling place or an early voting spot. The new chief of staff knows nothing about elections and has never served on a canvassing board or been to a canvassing board meeting,” Bennett said.
Bennett is concerned that Satcher and Ballard’s lack of experience and strong political beliefs could affect public confidence and the integrity of the upcoming elections.
He also addressed Satcher’s claim about withheld passwords.
“That’s simply not true. Scott didn’t have all the passwords. All the passwords are with Sharon Stief,” Bennett said in reference to his longtime chief deputy, who remains in that position. “Nobody ever contacted Scott or me about getting any passwords.”
SUPERVISOR’S RACE
The Florida voter registration application and instruction form accessible at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website notes that Florida uses a closed primary system that only allows those affiliated with a specific political party to vote in party-specific primary elections.
“However, in primary elections, all voters can vote for candidates in that partisan primary race if the candidates face no opposition in the general election,” the form notes.
If no Democratic or non-party-affiliated candidates enter the supervisor of elections race – including a bogus candidate who runs simply to close the primary – the anticipated Farrington-Satcher primary race would be open to all Manatee County voters. If a Democrat or non-party-affiliated candidate enters the race, the primary becomes closed to Republican voters only.
If the primary is closed, non-Republican voters who wish to vote in the supervisor of elections primary race have until July 22 to change their current party affiliation to Republican, which can be easily accomplished and later reversed by visiting https://registertovoteflorida.gov/eligibilityreactive.
MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County voters who plan to vote by mail during the 2024 election cycle need to submit a request that vote-by-mail ballots be sent to them.
According to a press release issued on behalf of the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, more than 100,000 registered Manatee County voters are receiving official correspondence as part of the election office’s efforts to inform them of an important update they might not be aware of.
Manatee County voters who voted by mail in previous years are receiving notice that they need to make a new request to receive vote-by-mail ballots for the 2024 election cycle. The 2024 election cycle includes the Florida presidential primary election that takes place on March 19, the state primary election that concludes on Aug. 20 and the general election that concludes on Nov. 5, 2024.
Voters who previously provided their email addresses will receive an official email from the Supervisor of Elections Office. Others will receive their notification via regular mail. Voters who haven’t requested vote-by-mail ballots recently or in the past can also request vote-by-mail ballots for the 2024 election cycle.
The vote-by-mail ballot request process requires the voter to provide their name, date of birth and either the last four digits of their social security number or a valid Florida driver’s license or a valid Florida identification card.
The annual vote-by-mail ballot request renewal requirement stems from the Florida Legislature’s adoption of Senate Bill 90 in 2021. The state law created by that legislation limits the duration of requests for vote-by-mail ballots to all elections through the end of the calendar year of the next regularly scheduled general election.
As a result of the state law, Manatee County’s vote-by-mail voters’ rolls were wiped clean after the 2022 general election.
“We went from more than 100,000 voters having a request on record for a mail ballot to zero,” Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett stated in the press release. “This effort is about making people aware that they’ll need to renew their vote by mail request more frequently. Voters should renew their request sooner than later or they could forget and miss their opportunity to receive a mail ballot.”
In the press release, Bennett’s chief of staff, Scott Farrington, noted that during the 2022 general election, 110,260 vote-by-mail ballots were sent to Manatee County voters and 75,310 were returned as ballots cast, accounting for 44% of the county’s total voter turnout. Farrington said 7,848 Manatee County voters have already registered to receive vote-by-mail ballots during the 2024 election cycle.
“The SOE reminds Manatee voters that voting by mail is a safe and convenient way to cast your ballot. It allows voters to avoid potential Election Day obstacles like long lines, bad weather, or work delays. Voting by mail also gives voters more time to consider issues and candidates with their ballot in hand, rather than feeling rushed at the polling place,” the press release notes.
There are no contested city commission races or proposed charter amendments to be decided by Anna Maria Island voters during the 2023 election cycle. The only elections taking place in Manatee County in 2023 are the Bayshore Gardens Park & Recreation District and the Trailer Estates Park & Recreation District elections in December.
Manatee County voters can request their 2024 vote-by-mail ballots online or by calling 941-741-3823 and pressing the number 1 when prompted.
MANATEE COUNTY – If you received a vote-by-mail ballot, you must return it in time for it to be received by the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office by Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m., regardless of the postmarked date.
The U.S. Postal Service suggests returning your ballot no later than one week prior to election day.
About 45% of Manatee County’s registered voters received vote-by-mail ballots, according to elections office figures. As of Monday, Oct. 19, 124,130 vote-by-mail ballots were sent out, Elections Office Chief Deputy Sharon Stief said. As of Saturday, Oct. 24 – the deadline to apply for mail-in ballots – Manatee County had 274,344 registered voters, including 118,799 registered Republicans, 83,815 registered Democrats and 71,730 voters registered as having no party affiliation.
According to Stief, 480 vote-by-mail ballots were sent to voters in Anna Maria, 374 ballots were sent to Bradenton Beach voters and 1,441 ballots were sent to Holmes Beach voters.
Returning a ballot by mail requires 70 cents postage, or two Forever stamps. The use of one Forever stamp will result in the ballot being returned to sender for lack of adequate postage.
Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned in person at several drop off locations throughout Manatee County. Ballots can be dropped off 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the drop box located at the Supervisor of Elections Office at 600 301 Blvd. W., Suite 108 in Bradenton.
Ballots can also be returned to the following early voting drop box locations from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. through Sunday, Nov. 1:
Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch;
Palmetto Library, 923 Sixth St. W., Palmetto;
Rocky Bluff Library, 6750 U.S. Hwy. 301 N., Ellenton;
Florida DOT Administration Office, 14000 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton;
Manatee County Utilities Administration Office, 4410 66th St. W., Bradenton.
MANATEE COUNTY – The Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office has begun sending out vote-by-mail ballots to those who requested them, and returning a ballot by mail will require additional postage.
For the general election that concludes Tuesday, Nov. 3, the return postage rate is 70 cents to mail a completed vote-by-mail ballot to the Supervisor of Elections Office. The additional postage is required because the general election ballot consists of multiple pages.
According to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website, returning a completed general election 2020 ballot by mail requires two Forever stamps or 70 cents worth of postage.
“If returning your vote-by-mail ballot by mail, the U.S. Postal Service suggests returning your ballot no later than one week prior to election day. The return postage is $.70.,” according to the Supervisor of Elections website.
Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett examines 124 vote-by-mail ballots postmarked the same day as the Aug. 18 primary election. – Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office | Submitted
A single 55-cent Forever stamp will not provide adequate postage and the front side of the return envelope notes, “Post Office will not deliver without proper postage.”
You must also sign the back of the return envelope before sending it to the Supervisor of Elections Office.
Mail ballots can currently be delivered in person, without postage, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to the elections drop box at the Supervisor of Elections Office at 600 301 Blvd. W., Suite 108, in Bradenton.
From Monday, Oct. 19 through Sunday, Nov. 1, vote-by-mail ballots can be delivered in person, without postage, to any of the early voting locations in Manatee County from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Those locations are:
The Florida DOT administration office at 14000 S.R. 64 E. in Bradenton;
The Manatee County utilities administration office at 4410 66th St. W. in Bradenton;
Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. in Lakewood Ranch;
The Palmetto Library, 923 Sixth St. W. in Palmetto;
The Rocky Bluff Library, 6750 U.S. Hwy. 301 N. in Ellenton.
Late arriving ballots
On Aug. 21, the Supervisor of Elections Office distributed an email containing a message from Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett regarding vote-by-mail ballots returned too late to be counted for the primary election that concluded Tuesday, Aug. 18.
“With all the talk about the post office and vote-by-mail ballots arriving late or not at all, Michael Bennett, Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, wants to make sure everyone is aware of the voter’s responsibility,” the elections office email said.
Voters must sign the rear of the envelope before returning it to the Supervisor of Elections Office. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“It’s not the post office that made these ballots late, the voter waited until Election Day to mail their ballot,” Bennett said in the email.
“Some voters may be under the impression that it is the postmark date that enables their vote to be counted. Supervisor Bennett wants everyone to know, that’s not true. Per Florida Statute, ballots are accepted at the secure ballot drop box located outside of my office up to 7 p.m. on Election Day, not postmarked Election Day,” the email said.
The email noted more than 300 vote-by-mail ballots had arrived late as of Aug. 21 and 124 of those were postmarked Aug. 18.
“None of them are eligible to be counted. Voters whose ballots were received after Election Day that were postmarked the 18th – or even within a few days of that date – cannot blame the delay on the post office. It’s very disappointing that voters did not mail their ballots in time to be counted. So please, don’t blame the post office,” Bennett said in the Aug. 21 email.
According to Chief Deputy Sharon Stief, Saturday, Oct. 24 is the deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed to you. Monday, Oct. 5 is the deadline to register to vote in this year’s general election.
More information is available at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website.
About 45% of Manatee County’s registered voters received vote-by-mail ballots, according to elections office figures. As of Monday, Oct. 19, 124,130 vote-by-mail ballots were sent out, Elections Office Chief Deputy Sharon Stief said. As of Saturday, Oct. 24 – the deadline to apply for mail-in ballots – Manatee County had 274,344 registered voters, including 118,799 registered Republicans, 83,815 registered Democrats and 71,730 voters registered as having no party affiliation.
