Bradenton Election: Dell, Kruse Vie For At-Large District 7 Seat

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — In the Nov. 3 election, Manatee County voters will choose the next Manatee Board of County Commissioners District 5 member. Write-in candidate Thomas Whitten Dell challenges Republican candidate George W. Kruse for the seat.

How to vote

As the Nov. 3 election approaches, Manatee County voters can submit their ballots at early voting locations, at drop-off boxes and by mail. They can also vote at their local voting precinct on Election Day.

If voting in person, either early or on Nov. 3, voters must bring a current and valid ID with their name, photo and signature. Find a full list of acceptable IDs here.

Vote-by-mail ballots may be returned using the U.S. Postal Service. The return postage for a vote-by-mail ballot is two Forever stamps or $.70. They must be received by 7 p.m. Election Day. Additionally, they can be dropped off at any early voting location. Find a list of early voting locations here. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot has passed.

If you choose to vote in person on Nov. 3, you can look up your voting precinct online here. For your vote to count, you must vote in the precinct in which you reside. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Meet the candidates

Bradenton Patch recently sent out questionnaires to learn more about who these candidates are and where they stand on local issues. Neither candidate submitted responses, but we’ve compiled some information about them.

According to the Bradenton Herald, Republican candidate George W. Kruse has a background in finance and real estate. He’s also served on the Bradenton Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and is a member of the Bradenton Kiwanis Club and the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.

On his campaign website, he said, "I bring my private sector business approach to solving challenges like smart growth and responsible conservative budgeting to the county commission. The taxpayers are our customers, and we should always remember we work for them."

Kruse also said that he plans to be “a conservative voice” on the commission.

He wrote, “We will focus on a small government, limited tax agenda that will protect both the personal rights and the personal capital of the citizens of Manatee County. Much like President Trump on the Federal level, I will add a private-sector view to the board to ensure diverse, free market views are heard and enacted for the benefit of the overall community.”

He also said he plans to focus on sustainable growth, “rather than allowing unimpeded sprawl,” and wants to draw higher-wage jobs to Manatee.

Learn more about Kruse at his campaign website.

Write-in candidate Thomas Whitten Dell doesn’t have a campaign website or Facebook page. According to the Supervisor of Elections website, he hasn’t raised or spent any campaign funds. According to his VoterFocus.com profile, he lives in Parrish.