THE VOTERS WENT TO THE POLLS YESTERDAY BUT IT APPEARS THE NUMBERS WERE HELD DOWN BY THE RAIN. IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY, STEVEN R. DEUTSCH THUMPED INCUMBENT RICHARD LOFTUS FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 4 SEAT, WHILE CHRIS CONSTANCE BESTED DON MCCORMICK FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR THE DISTRICT 2 SEAT. DEUTSCH WILL FACE WRITE IN CANDIDATE MARIANNE SARGENT IN NOVEMBER, WHILE CONSTANCE WILL TAKE ON JASON GREEN. IN THE SCHOOL BOARD RACES, LEE SWIFT DEFEATED CHALLENGER STEFEN WYNN FOR THE DISTRICT 1 SEAT, WHILE IAN VINCENT DEFEATED BILL WELLER FOR THE DISTRICT 4 SEAT. THE GASPARILLA BRIDGE AUTHORITY HAD 4 SEATS UP FOR GRABS, WITH VIRGINIA WATKINS, LEE MAJOR, DAVID HAYES, AND RICHARD RYAN ALL COMING OUT VICTORIOUS. IN SARASOTA COUNTY, REPUBLICAN NORA PATTERSON EDGED CHALLENGER MARK SMITH FOR COUNTY COMMISSION SEAT 4, AND WILL FACE MARK HAWKINS IN NOVEMBER. MARYANN BOEHM WAS VICTORIOUS IN THE COUNTY JUDGE RACE OVER TRACY LEE, WHILE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD RACE IT WAS INCUMBENT CAROL TODD WINNING BACK HER SEAT IN DISTRICT 1, WHILE JANE GOODWIN BESTED KATHY JAMES FOR THE OPEN SEAT IN DISTRICT 5. IN THE NORTH PORT CITY COMMISSION RACE, THERE WILL BE A RUNOFF BETWEEN LINDA YATES AND FRED TOWER IN NOVEMBER. FINALLY, THERE WERE FIVE AD VALORUM TAX EXEMPTION QUESTIONS…SARASOTA AND CHARLOTTE COUNTIES, ALONG WITH THE CITIES OF VENICE, NORTH PORT, AND SARASOTA, AND ALL OF THEM PASSED BY AT LEAST 3-2 MARGINS. STATEWIDE, IN THE GOVERNOR’S RACE, RICK SCOTT WON THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION OVER BILL MCCOLLUM AND WILL FACE DEMOCRAT ALEX SINK AND INDEPENDENT BUD CHILDS IN NOVEMBER. IN THE STATE SENATE RACE, KENDRICK MEEK WON THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION OVER JEFF GREENE, AND HE WILL FACE REPUBLICAN MARCO RUBIO AND INDEPENDENT CHARLIE CRIST IN NOVEMBER. ALSO, VERN BUCHANAN WAS AN EASY WINNER IN THE DISTRICT 13 U S REPRESENATIVE RACE, AND WILL FACE DEMOCRAT JAMES GOLDEN IN NOVEMBER. VOTER TURNOUT NUMBERS WERE DOWN…24% OF REGISTERED VOTERS SHOWED UP IN SARASOTA COUNTY, WHILE 23% OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY VOTERS MADE IT TO THE POLLS.
