Key Club referendum decision coming tonight

Mail ballot returns that will be announced tonight for the May 12 mail-only ballot Longboat Key Club referendum as of Monday afternoon have set a record high for the Key’s voter turnout.

Longboat Key Town Clerk Trish Granger reported a 55.6% island-wide participation rate.

In Sarasota County, 2,619 of 4,346 mail-in ballots have been returned for a 60.3% rate of return. In Manatee County, 921 of 2,024 ballots have been sent back for a 45.6% rate of return. So far, that’s a combined participation of 3,540 voters, or 55.6%, of the island’s 6,370 registered voters.

According to Granger’s statistics, the largest voter turnout for a commission election or referendum was in 2010 with a 42% voter turnout. 

The ballot question asks voters if the town should allow up to 300 new tourism uses within Islandside that Ocean Properties Ltd. plans to use to build a new Longboat Key Club hotel.

A simple majority of 50% plus one of the returned ballots must support the referendum for it to pass.

In the March election that included two commission races, which included an early voting period at Longboat Key Town Hall, 1,830 registered voters, or 29.5% of the island’s voters, participated in the election for two commission seats.

Voters have until 7 p.m. today to return their mail-only election ballots. Ballots must be mailed or dropped off at the supervisor of elections offices. Ballots cannot be mailed to Longboat Key Town Hall or forwarded by any party to the supervisor of election offices. Election results should be announced tonight by 7:30 p.m.

For more information on today’s election, check www.yourobserver.com tonight for updates and pick up a copy of tomorrow’s Longboat Observer.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].