Detert to serve on Sarasota County Commission

Last week, Sarasota County candidates qualified for this year’s election, which includes more than a dozen unopposed races.

State Sen. Nancy Detert will serve on the Sarasota County Commission, and incumbent County Commissioner Charles Hines was also unopposed for the countywide offfice. Sheriff Tom Knight will remain at the helm of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and Property Appraiser Bill Furst retained his position, as well.

Sarasota County will have a new supervisor of elections for the first time since 2000, as Ron Turner was unopposed in the race for that office. Turner picked up endorsements from current and former candidates across the political spectrum.

Former Republican Party of Sarasota County Chairman Eric Robinson, who raised more than $90,000 in his non-partisan race, will join the Sarasota County School Board, as his opponent, John Dippolito, did not qualify,

But the county’s Democratic Party has fielded a candidate in Todd Barton to challenge Clerk of the Circuit Court Karen Rushing, while the Sarasota GOP has tapped Jim Bender to oppose Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates.

Click here for a complete list of the candidates.

The primary election is Aug. 30, and general election is Nov. 8.