Manatee County doesn’t have an elections supervisor. When will DeSantis pick a new one?
With election day here, questions are swirling over when Manatee County will have a new elections supervisor and what the vacant post means for voters.
It has been almost three weeks since Michael Bennett, who has overseen local elections and voter registration for over a decade, announced his retirement.
“All good things must come to an end,” Bennett said in an official resignation letter sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis in January. “These years have been some of the highlights of my life, but it is now time for me to spend more time with family, friends and in other community volunteer services.”
There’s no set timeline for when DeSantis will pick his replacement, the governor’s office said in a statement provided to the Bradenton Herald Tuesday morning.
Despite his retirement, Bennett’s name, picture and biography remain posted on the Supervisor of Elections website at www.VoteManatee.com.
But Scott Farrington, who has been overseeing day-to-day operations at the elections office, said none of this will make a difference at the polls for Tuesday’s presidential primary election. Voters will go to their precinct, show ID and cast a ballot as normal.
As of Tuesday afternoon, over 27,000 Manatee County voters have voted. The presidential primary race has already been determined, with former President Donald Trump winning enough delegates in other states to win the GOP nomination. Florida’s Democratic Party did not hold an election this year after submitting only President Joe Biden’s name on the ticket.
Manatee County still without elections chief
Bennett has asked DeSantis to consider his chief of staff for the job. He described Farrington, who has over 20 years of election experience, as “the right candidate for the position to ensure that the upcoming elections proceed with as few conflicts as possible.”
Farrington recently filed to run for the vacant position in November. As of Tuesday afternoon, he is the only candidate running for the office.
Polls will close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
