Bradenton Election 2020 Update: Voting ‘A Piece Of Cake’ So Far

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — Manatee County voters came out strong the morning of Election Day 2020, though it slowed down mid-morning, voters, volunteers and candidates said.

As of 2 p.m., the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office reported around 74 percent voter turnout. Of about 270,000 eligible voters, around 203,000 have voted, according to data on the office’s website.

These numbers include early voters, vote-by-mail ballots and those who voted in-person during the first half of Election Day. By the time early voting ended on Sunday, the county’s voter turnout, which also included mail ballots, was at about 63 percent.

From about 7 a.m. until 9 a.m. on Election Day, many polling locations saw long lines, said Frank Wilson, a poll worker at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, located at 1 Haben Blvd. in Palmetto.

“We had people in line since 6 (a.m.),” he said. “There was a major rush at opening. One of the maintenance managers here told me he never saw it this busy and he’s been here a long time…We’ve never seen crowds like that.”

He added, “It’s good to see all these people voting.”

The lines have slowed since, Wilson said. By 9 a.m., people were moving quickly into the building to vote with no wait.

Around 11 a.m., there appeared to be a longer line waiting for COVID-19 testing, which is being conducted through a mobile testing site at the convention center, than there was for voting.

Marie Kilman, who voted at the convention center with her husband Jim, said voting “was easy.” She expected it to take longer, she added, but “everything was very calm and not very busy.”

Tracy Gray, a non-partisan volunteer at the polling station at the Bradenton Dream Center, located at 1816 9th Street West in Bradenton, said the day started strong with people lining up before the polls even opened.

“Then at 7 a.m. it dissipated. The line went away. People were coming steady, but one or two at a time,” she said. “They seem to be in and out in five minutes.”

This isn’t limited to the BDC, she said. She heard that “it’s been pretty quiet” at all polling locations throughout Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Gray added, “I’m not sure if we should be worried or not. It’s probably because of early voting, though.”

Voter Maggie Scherette, who cast her ballot at the BDC, was surprised by how quickly she voted.

“It was easy. It was a piece of cake,” she told a Patch editor. “It’s lunch time on voting day and there’s no lines. Maybe I should have waited until Christmas Eve.”

Even those who voted earlier in the day, when there were longer lines, said they moved quickly. Megan Chatham, who was volunteering for Palmetto City Commission candidate Matt Kezar at the convention center, said she voted at Reedemer Lutheran Church, located at 6311 3rd Ave. W. in Bradenton, around 9 a.m.

There were about 30 people in line when she and her daughter got to the church, she said. They only waited about 20 minutes to vote.

“It was great,” she said. “Very fast. No big lines or wait.”

Charles B. Smith, who is running for mayor of Palmetto, said that even though voting has been fairly quiet, today, over all turnout – including early voters and those who voted by mail – has been amazing.

“It’s a nice turnout today, beautiful weather and I feel good that democracy is being delivered today,” he said. “No matter whom you’re for, as long as you cast your ballot, that’s what matters. The turnout is awesome. It’s really empowering what’s taking place right now.”