Manatee County voters heading to the polls on primary election day

The election field is about to get a lot smaller.

Manatee County voters are going to the polls on Tuesday to mark their choices in the primary election for U.S. Senate, governor, county commission, school board and other offices large and small.

The polls are open until 7 p.m.

At Precinct 417, Oneco United Methodist Church, there was no line at 8:30 a.m., and a poll worker invited voters in without a wait as they arrived alone or in groups of two or three.

Sixty-three voters had cast their ballots at Oneco United Methodist as of 8:30 a.m., a poll worker said.

At Precinct 303 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Holmes Beach, it was a similar story with 58 voters having cast their ballots by 10 a.m.

But at Precinct 101, Church of Hope, 1701 10th St. W., Palmetto, it was a different story.

An estimated 250 voters had cast their ballots before noon, poll worker Robert Wolter said.

“We are doing steady. This traditionally is a steady voting precinct,” Wolter said.

Ginger Van Gemert said she voted at Precinct 101 on Tuesday because she wants change.

“I am concerned about the environment and just the temperament of everyone. It’s gotten to be absolutely full of hate. It’s got to come to a stop,” Van Gemert said.

Another voter at Church of Hope, who gave her name only as Maria, called politics in the United States “awful.”

Boston native Becky Tracy, who has lived on Anna Maria Island for 20 years, voted at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.

“I like to vote. It’s a privilege,” Tracy said.

Tracy was voting in the Democratic primary, and said she cast her vote for David Shapiro for the U.S House of Representatives District 16 seat, and Andrew Gillum for governor.

Tracy said she was “discouraged” by the school board, and voted for Rick Murphy, who is challenging incumbent Scott Hopes for his seat.

A Bayshore Gardens resident of 20 years, Victor Gonzalez has been coming to precinct 421 at Bayshore Gardens Recreation Center to vote for years. He said he likes voting there and never has any issues or much of a line, and that was still the case Tuesday.

“I want change,” Gonzalez said of why he voted in the primary. “It doesn’t matter if they did a good job or a bad job, I just want new, fresh ideas.”

He said he likes term limits and wants to see fresh faces and see fresh ideas in elected positions.

“If we can make a difference, let’s try,” Gonzalez said.

The recreation center had 135 people come in to vote by 11:40 a.m. Tuesday.

Just down the street, at precinct 403 in the South Manatee Library on 26th Street West, 167 voters had walked in the door to cast their ballots by shortly after 12:30 p.m.

According to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website, 65,290 votes had been cast, including early voting and mail-in ballots, as of about 3 p.m.

So far this election, the turnout is about 27 percent of 240,419 eligible voters, according to the Supervisor of Elections.

Get more information about some of the races being decided Tuesday here.

This story was originally published August 28, 2018 at 1:04 PM.