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2024 Elections

With the approach of election year, WSLR is here to provide information regarding the upcoming 2024 elections.

Not registered to vote? Solve that issue by registering to vote online! Florida citizens can register to vote here.

For those looking to vote by mail, don’t forget that vote-by-mail requests made prior to November 8, 2022 have expired. Requests can be made online or in person at any election office.

Below are detailed explanations of the offices up for election during the 2024 year. The candidates of each office are also included with a brief description of who they are and what they stand for.

Sarasota County Elections
Manatee County Elections

President of the United States

Only the Republican Party will hold a statewide presidential primary. To vote in it, you must be a registered Republican by the voter registration deadline on February 20. Voters have until 5pm Thursday, March 7 to request a ballot be mailed to them for the coming election. A voter may request a vote-by-mail ballot in one of the following ways: In person at any of the three elections offices in Sarasota, Venice, or North Port, by phone at 941-861-8618 or online at SarasotaVotes.gov/VotebyMail.

Republican Candidates

Donald Trump

Trump served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 and is now running for re-election. He won the 2016 presidential election against Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton, despite losing the popular vote. This made him the first U.S. president with no prior military or government experience. Trump's campaign focuses on economic prosperity, securing America's borders, restoring public safety, and reclaiming free speech.

JOe Biden

President Biden represented Delaware for 36 years in the U.S. Senate before becoming the 47th Vice President of the United States. He defeated Trump for the Presidency in 2020.

To see a full listing of the candidates that have filed to run for statewide office in the State of Florida, visit https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/candidates/

United States - Senate

Candidates

Rick Scott - REP

Scott was elected in 2018 and is currently serving is first term representing the state of Florida. He previously served two terms as the 45th Governor of Florida from 2011 to 2019. Scott served in the U.S. Navy for more than two years before attending the University of Missouri and earning his BA in business administration in 1975. He then went on to earn his JD from Southern Methodist University in 1978. Scott made the decision to run for Governor following Florida's economic collapse. During his time, he focused on repairing Florida's economy.

Stanley Campbell - Dem

Campbell was born and raised in Miami, graduating from Miami Beach High before studying physics and mathematics at Florida A&M University. He then went on to serve as a U.S. Navy Pilot. Campbell is committed to bipartisan collaboration, economic prosperity, environmental stewardship, and social justice. His campaign supports addressing climate change, making efforts towards affordable healthcare, and providing quality education for the residents of Florida.

Debbie Mucarsell-Powell - DEM

Powell was born in Ecuador and immigrated to the U.S. with her mother and sisters when she was young. After making it through high school, she earned her BA in political science from Pitzer College in 1992. She then went on to earn her MA in international political economics from Claremont Graduate University in 1996. She then worked for Florida International University's College of Health and Medicine, leading a program to expand affordable healthcare. She served as a U.S. representative for Florida's 26th congressional district, making her the first Ecuadorian American and South American-born immigrant to serve in Congress.

United States - House of Representatives

Sarasota County Candidates

United States Representative District 17

Greg Steube - REP

Steube served two years in the Florida Senate and six years in the Florida House. After graduating from the University of Florida with both undergraduate and law degrees, Steube enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving with distinction from 2004 to 2008. Steube currently serves the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of Federal Government. Steube advocates for small businesses, ranchers and farmers, and Florida seniors. He also supports putting Americans first and has conservative immigration policies.

Manny Lopez - DEM

Lopez previously served as a member of the Whitney, Texas School Board from 1993 to 1996. During that time, he also served on the executive board of the Central Texas Economic Development Council for four years. He served in the U.S. army and as a firefighter for the Key West Fire Department. He served as captain of the Sarasota Chalf Festival in Venice. In 2014, he served as chairman on the Sarasota Board of Realtors. Lopez plans to focus on infrastructure development, healthcare, and education.

Matthew Montavon - DEM

Montavon earned a BA in political science and Spanish from The Catholic University of America. He was later awarded the Lilly Endowment Fellowship in support of his work at Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Montavon is determined to listen to the people. He plans to focus on issues such as environment, affordable housing, social security, the working class, and protecting individual rights.

Manatee County Candidates

United States Representative District 16

Jan Schneider - DEM

Schneider has earned her BA from Brown University, a certificate from the University of Geneva, a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, and a JD from Yale Law School. Her professional experience includes working for the Law Offices of Jan Schneider, serving as president and director of U.S. East Inc., working for the United Nations, and working as an adjunct professor at the American University Law School. Schneider plans to focus on reducing energy costs while securing reliable energy sources. She also wishes to contribute to environmental protections.

Eddie Speir - REP

Speir graduated with a degree in Computer Information Systems from the University of Northern Colorado. He immediately started a computer consulting firm in 1994. Five years later, he launched a financial software company. He later sold the company in 2010 and moved to Manatee County. In 2013, he started a private Christian school in Bradenton called Inspiration Academy. He is a current trustee for New College of Florida's Board of Trustees.

State Elections - Florida House of Representatives

Sarasota County CandidateS

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 73

Fiona McFarland - REP

McFarland graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a degree in Political Science in 2008. While in active duty, she completed her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chapel Hill's Kenan Flagler business school in 2013. In 2016 she transferred to the U.S. Navy Reserves. She has received two Navy Achievement Medals. During her civilian lifestyle, she worked as a consultant with global business management consulting firm McKinsey and Company.

Derek Reich - Dem

Reich was born in Sarasota before being raised in Venice and North Port. He graduated from Florida State University with his Bachelor's degree in Social Science Education in 2018. From there, he taught at Brookside Middle School for his last semester at FSU before moving on to teach the 2018-19 school year in Freedom High School in Orlando. He then returned to Sarasota and worked as a part-time substitute teacher while pursuing his Master's degree. He earned his Master's in Curriculum and Instruction in 2020.

STATe REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 74

James Buchanan - Rep

Buchanan has served in the Florida House of Representatives for the past two years and running again for the 2024 election. He has been a real estate agent since 2006 and has served as a broker and small business owner in Sarasota County since 2009. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Florida State University with a double major in Finance and Entrepreneurship before graduating with his MBA from the University of South Florida.

Michelle Pozzie - REP

Pozzie has been a resident of the Sarasota-Manatee area for 18 years, spending her time raising her family and home-schooling her children. She has a background in sales and customer service and teaching in the performing arts industry. She attended Columbia College in Chicago, studying performing arts. She will be graduating in the summer of 2024 from Full Sail University with her BA in Entertainment Business. She is an avid supporter of parental rights in education and medical freedom

Nancy M.H. Simpson - DEM

Simpson graduated with her BA in Economics from Georgie State University in 2012. She began working for Resilience AmeriCorps VISTA in 2016 before moving on as a Planning and Zoning Administrator in North Dakota. She left North Dakota approximately two years later to become a Senior Planner for Pasco County Government. She then became a Multi Modal Planner for Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization. Now, Simpson is the CEO and Founder of Hoover Floodplain Consulting.

MANATEE COUNTY CANDIDATES

state representative district 70

Mike Beltran - Rep

Beltran is a devoted husband and proud father who has been serving Central Florida for a decade. He's a Harvard-educated lawyer and was appointed by Governor Rick Scott to Judicial Nominating Committee.

State representative district 71

Will Robinson - ReP

Robinson is a real estate agent who was awarded "Lawyer of the Year" by The Best Lawyers in America. He focuses on real estate and local government law. Robinson graduated from the University of Notre Dame with his BA in Finance in 1997. He then graduated from Stetson University College of Law with his JD in 2000. Robinson was elected in 2018 to represent District 71 in the Florida House of Representatives and was re-elected subsequently.

state representative district 72

Bill Conerly - REP

A shareholder with engineering consulting firm Kimley-Horn, the professional engineer plans to run on an “America First” agenda. Conerly is a fifth generation Floridian raised in South Florida. He served in the U.S. Navy for nearly six years and returned to civilian life to pursue further education in engineering. “Florida is at a crossroads. We can continue to kick the can down the road, year after year, on issues like immigration, insurance and our quality of life or we can act. I am running to take quick action, just like President (Donald) Trump,” Conerly said. (Jacob Ogles- Florida Politics)

Rich Tatum - REP

Colonel Tatem is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. Colonel Tatem had an extensive 30-year military career in the United States Air Force as a pilot, assistant professor at the United States Air Force Academy, and as a leadership educator and executive coach. After retiring from the Air Force, Tatem continued his leadership education work, wrote the book “Interviews With The Founders: the way America is now - and the way America is supposed to be” and hosted a patriotic radio show and podcast. On the Manatee County School Board, he has been a strong advocate for school choice and safety, parental rights and input, decentralization, and classical education.

Alyssa Gay - REP

Gay, a graduate of SCF and later the University of Florida, has been active in local organizations including North River Care Pregnancy Center and Realize Bradenton. She has established herself as a prominent marketing professional in the Sarasota-Bradenton area. “I care deeply about our community and the people who make it great. Your input in the process will be invaluable and, as your next Representative, I promise to always be available to listen to your concerns,” Gay said. “It starts with listening, but it ends with action. I’m a problem solver with a proven track record of success in business and I have been heavily involved in local community causes. From championing conservative values to prioritizing affordable housing and workforce excellence, I am dedicated to implementing constitutional, common sense policies that ensure Floridians have a bright future ahead."

State Attorney - 12th Circuit

Candidates

Ed Brodsky

Brodsky has served as the State Attorney since January of 2013. This is his third term as State Attorney and is currently running for reelection. Brodsky served as a reserve police officer and with the Florida Army National Guard Military Police. He earned his degree in Criminology from the University of South Florida before enrolling in Nova University Law School where he earned his law degree. Brodsky briefly worked in the 17th Circuit in Broward County before moving to Manatee County.

Public Defender - 12th Circuit

Candidates

Larry Eger

Eger earned his BA and JD from the University of Florida. He has spent over 25 years working in the Public Defender's Office and currently serves as the head of the Manatee County division Public Defender's Office. He manages over 20 attorneys and 40 employees in total.