Sarasota County Commission Election: 2 Seats Open On Board

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Voters will cast their ballots in two Sarasota County Commission races in Tuesday’s general election.

Democrat Fredd “Glossie” Atkins and Republican Mark Smith are vying for the District 2 seat.

In response to a Patch candidate survey, Atkins said, “I have worked tirelessly my entire life for the betterment of the people. I worked to bring single-member districts to Sarasota city and worked to bring them to the county. I served as a city commissioner and mayor, working with a broad range of stakeholders to better our city and community. Now, this is the first real chance Democrats have at having a voice on the county commission in 50+ years. I felt that with my background of working across the aisle to get things done at the city level, I could bring that expertise to the county level, to help better everyone's lives in Sarasota.”

Smith, who didn’t respond to the Patch survey, is a longtime architect whose firm, Smith Architects, P.A., is based in Siesta Key Village, according to his campaign website. He’s currently chair-elect of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Among his top issues are controlling growth and improving traffic, fighting for clean air and water, and keeping taxes low.

In District 4, Democrat Daniel Kuether goes head-to-head with Republican Joseph Neunder.

For more than a decade, Kuether has worked in the real estate industries, from property management and development to real estate tech. After moving to Sarasota with his husband, he was hired as the realtor liaison for Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, the master developer of Lakewood Ranch, according to his campaign website. He now works as a UX/UI designer with a real estate tech company.

In response to Patch’s candidate survey, he promised to bring new ideas to the commission, noting, “In addition to working to solve our affordable housing crisis, I plan to address our inadequacy in caring for the environment and supporting the needs of residents.”

Neunder, who didn’t respond to the survey, has served on the Evalyn Sadlier-Jones Branch-YMCA Board of Directors, Boys & Girls Club government outreach, Sarasota County Planning Commission, City of Venice Historic Preservation Board, and the Venice City Council, according to his campaign website.

The businessman said he hopes to cut taxes, support law enforcement, work towards finding workhouse housing solutions and preserving the environment.

Where and how to vote

In order to cast your ballot in the 2022 general election, you’ll need to bring a valid and current photo and signature ID to your polling station. Without proper identification, you may still vote a provisional ballot, which will later be evaluated by a canvassing board for eligibility.

If you’re not sure where to vote, you can look up your polling station on the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections website. Sample ballots are also available at that link.

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 8. If you are in line at 7 p.m., you will be allowed to vote, but if you arrive at the polling place after 7 p.m., you will not be allowed to vote.