Bradenton Election Results: Brown Wins Bradenton Mayoral Race

Updated 10:48 p.m. With most precincts in Manatee County reporting, winners have appeared in many local races, according to the unofficial results. This includes:

• Incumbent Republican Michael S. Bennett bested his opponent with 136,656 votes.
• Mary K. Forman joins the School Board of Manatee County, serving District 3, with 110,746 votes.
• Gene Brown, with 12,883 votes, will serve as Bradenton's next mayor. Pamela Mitchell Coachman will also join Bradenton City Council in the Ward 5 seat.
• James A. Satcher, Kevin Van Ostenbridge, Vanessa Baugh and George W. Kruse will join the Manatee Board of County Commissioners.

Read below for more information about votes cast in each race.

Updated 10:13 p.m.: With all 70 precincts reporting, Trump leads Biden in Manatee County. The Republican president has 123,316 votes so far, while the Democratic nominee and former vice president has 88,275 votes.

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — The polls closed at 7 p.m. on Election Day 2020 in Manatee County. Now, voters await the outcome of both the presidential and local races.

Manatee voters came out strong Tuesday morning, though it slowed down mid-morning, voters, volunteers and candidates said.

As of 6:40 p.m., the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office reported around 79 percent voter turnout. Of about 270,000 eligible voters, around 217,000 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 slowed after that, Wilson said. By 9 a.m., people were moving quickly into the building to vote with no wait.

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

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.”

Like the rest of the country, Bradenton-area voters are eager to learn the winner of this year’s presidential race between Pres. Donald Trump and Democratic challenger, Vice Pres. Joe Biden. In addition to this widely followed match-up of national interest, voters had a say in putting numerous local candidates in office this year. These include those with a broader regional reach - congressional and state legislative races – and local contests - county commissioners, city councilors and school board members.

Now that the polls have closed, keep checking in with Patch for real-time results. And subscribe to Patch to receive news alerts as election results are updated and news from races comes in.

Here’s a list of some key races in Manatee County.

Representative in Congress, District 16

Updated 10:20 p.m.: With all 70 precincts reporting, Buchanan leads Good in Manatee County. Buchanan has 126,322 votes so far, while Good has 84,887.

Current Florida State Rep. Margaret Good, a Democrat, challenged incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan for the District 16 congressional seat. Learn more about these candidates here.

Manatee Board of County Commissioners, District 1

Updated 10:28 p.m.: With all 17 precincts reporting, Satcher leads Brown in Manatee County. Satcher has 35,452 votes, while Brown has received 18,593.

Democrat Dominique Shauntel Brown and Republican James A. Satcher are running for the Manatee Board of County Commission's District 1 seat. Learn more about these candidates here.

Manatee Board of County Commissioners, District 3

Updated 10:31 p.m.: With all 16 precincts reporting, Van Ostenbridge leads Bower in Manatee County. Van Ostenbridge has received 22,897 votes, while Bower has earned 16,222 votes.

Matthew J. Bower, a registered Republican running with no party affiliation, and Republican Kevin Van Ostenbridge are running for the Manatee Board of County Commission's District 3 seat. Learn more about these candidates here.

Manatee Board of County Commissioners, District 5

Updated 10:32 p.m.: With all 14 precincts reporting, Baugh leads her opponents with 45,529 votes. Write-in candidates received 6,314 votes combined. The Supervisor of Elections office didn't break down how many votes Felts and Gilbert received.

Write-in candidates Carol Ann Felts and Chris Gilbert challenge incumbent Republican Vanessa Baugh for the Manatee Board of County Commission's District 5 seat. Learn more about these candidates here.

Manatee Board of County Commissioners, District 7, At Large

Updated 10:33 p.m.: With all 70 precincts reporting, Kruse is leading his write-in opponent with 157,382 votes.

Write-in candidate Thomas Whitten Dell takes on Republican George W. Kruse for the Manatee Board of County Commission's District 7 Seat. Learn more about these candidates here.

Manatee County Supervisor of Elections

Updated 10:33 p.m.: With all 70 precincts reporting, Bennett leads his opponent in Manatee County with 136,656 votes. Williams has received 71,516 votes.

Democrat Charles Williams, Jr. challenges incumbent Republican Michael S. Bennett for Supervisor of Elections role. Learn more about these candidates here.

School Board of Manatee County, District 3

Updated 10:34 p.m. With 66 of 70 precincts reporting, Foreman leads this race with 110,746 votes. Miner has received 77,593 votes.

Mary K. Foreman and incumbent Dave "Watchdog" Miner face off in School Board of Manatee County District 3 run-off race. Learn more about these candidates here.

Bradenton City Council, Mayor

Updated 10:35 p.m.: With all 16 precincts reporting, Brown leads his opponents with 12,883 votes. Byrd has received 7,987 votes, while Denis has 2,662 votes.

Gene Brown, Harold Byrd and Dimitrie Denis want to be the next mayor of Bradenton. Learn more about these candidates here.

Bradenton City Council, Ward 5

Updated: 10:36 p.m.: With all 16 precincts reporting, Coachman leads with 12,116 votes. Wooten has received 10,343 votes.

Pamela Mitchell Coachman and Keenan Wooten vie for Bradenton City Council Ward 5 seat. Learn more about these candidates here.

Constitutional Amendments

Updated 10:38 p.m.: With all 70 precincts reporting:

• 171,359 voted yes for Amendment 1, while 32,794 voted no.
• 113,085 voted yes for Amendment 2, while 93,104 voted no.
• 109,966 voted yes for Amendment 3, while 92,477 voted no.
• 94,508 voted yes for Amendment 4, while 106,566 voted no.
• 142,993 voted yes for Amendment 5, while 53,658 voted no.
• 178,468 voted yes for Amendment 6, while 20,859 voted no.

Voters also decided on the fate of six amendments to Florida’s constitution. Here are the amendments voters considered:

Amendment 1: Provides that only U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old, a permanent resident of Florida and registered to vote may vote in a Florida election.

Amendment 2: Raises Florida’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026.

Amendment 3: Allows all registered voters to vote in primaries for state legislature, governor and cabinet regardless of political party affiliation.

Amendment 4: Requires proposed amendments or revisions to Florida’s constitution be approved in two elections.

Amendment 5: Increase the period of time accrued Save-Our-Homes benefits may be transferred from a prior homestead to a new homestead from two to three years.

Amendment 6: Allows a homestead property tax discount to be transferred to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran.