Longboat Key voters cast their ballots for March 2025 election

Longboat Key voters cast their ballots on March 11 for an election that included a contested at-large commission seat, a referendum and two charter amendments. 

Eric Drummond stationed himself outside of the Longboat Island Chapel, the island’s Manatee County precinct. 

Drummond set up around 8:30 a.m. with a sign to campaign for his friend, Steve Branham, who is one of the at-large commissioner candidates. 

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

“He works for other people,” Drummond said about why he was campaigning on behalf of Branham. “This is a volunteer position, and he wants to give back to the community he loves. He has the skills and the impact necessary.” 

Drummond said it was mostly quiet at the polling site until about 11 a.m. when there was a brief rush. 

That early afternoon rush included the other commission candidate, Deborah Murphy, and her husband, Terry Connelly. 

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

Drummond, Murphy and Connelly all voted “yes” on the town referendum to allow the town to pursue the State Revolving Fund loan of up to $33 million.

This would pay for the town’s necessary replacement of the wastewater main under Sarasota Bay. The SRF loan option comes with the lowest interest rate in comparison to the other options, which would be revenue bonds.

“It was the most logical option because it was the least expensive,” Murphy said about why she voted “yes,” on the referendum. 

At Longboat Key Town Hall, the Sarasota County polling site, a light but steady stream of voters made their way through the doors.

Outside the solicitation zone, candidate Steve Branham made his last appeal to voters.

Photo by Dana Kampa

He said the people who made their way to his booth had a few questions, but most seemed to have their minds made up on issues like the replacement of the subaqueous pipeline key to the island’s sewer infrastructure.

Branham and booth partner Phyllis Black, outgoing president of the Longboat Key Republican Club, thanked voters for turning out to the polls.

Among the early afternoon voters was Kevin Madden, who said he’s been voting in local elections for at least 10 years. He said his biggest focus on the ballot was the pipeline replacement, which he said he favored.

“I wanted to get out and vote for that, and I talked to my friends about it as well,” Madden said.

When considering the commission candidate race, he said concerns about the long-term protection of pensions were his most significant determining factor.

Photo by Dana Kampa

Barbara and Mike Hilder said they came out that day “because we vote every time.”

They said they have been full-time residents since 2021, though they had been part-time residents for much longer. Both agreed that updating the pipework is essential.

“It needs to get done, and it’s going to be a problem if it’s not,” she said, expressing concern for the impact on local wildlife if conditions deteriorate.