TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tampa Bay Area Election Roundup

ADVERTISEMENT

By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2007

Voters turned out Tuesday in municipalities and special elections around the Tampa Bay area, deciding on issues as imposing as who is going to run the cities to matters as trivial as whether the city treasurer's report should be hand delivered.

In some of the elections, though, no clear-cut winners were announced. Rather a field of candidates was pared and will face off in runoff elections later this year.

In St. Petersburg, political newcomers joined experienced leaders on the St. Petersburg City Council.

Council seat 1 was claimed by Herb Polson, 59, who was appointed to the seat in December, after he garnered 7,263 votes, or 52 percent. His opponent, Bob Kersteen, 70, last served in 2000.

In District 5, James Bennett, 55, was re-elected with 82 percent of the vote. He was without opposition after Chris Kelly dropped out of the race. The other two council races involved a slate of newcomers to city politics.

In Largo, voters kept incumbent Harriet Crozier, who defeated John Mandujano, 52, a computer consultant, for Seat 5.

Newcomer Woody Brown, 37, a chiropractor, defeated Curtis Holmes, 58, for Seat 6.

Polk County voters failed to finalize some elections, with two of the tree races headed toward a Dec.4 runoff.

Lakeland High School teacher and wrestling coach Justin Troller will run against real estate agent and retired Army officer Brian Dockery for the Lakeland City Council seat currently held by retiring Councilman Dean Boring.

Troller, 30, won 43 percent of the vote; the 46-year-old Dockery won 36 percent. Retired businessman Steve Wade, 56, came in third with 21 percent and was eliminated. Since none of the candidates got more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff is required between the top two vote-getters.

In Auburndale, incumbent City Commissioner Allen Johnson won 57 percent of the vote, defeating challenger Tim Pospichal, a planning commissioner and RV park operator.

In another Auburndale commission race, Keith Cowie, a systems manager for Winn-Dixie, will face Randy Spears, an Auburndale planning commissioner and businessman, in the runoff. Cowie, 33, won a narrow victory over the 47-year-old Spears, 48 percent to 44 percent. William K. Kranek, 52, won 8 percent of the vote and was eliminated.

In Sarasota County voters sent a message about the environment. They overwhelmingly approved an amendment that makes it more difficult for developers to get approval for projects in certain areas.

In Venice, the environment was key in the elections for three city council seats. Challengers blamed the incumbents for unchecked growth in the area and those incumbents lost by large margins.

And in Manatee County, a first-term city commissioner calling himself the "green" candidate won the mayoral race Tuesday night, defeating a fellow commissioner.

Michael R. Pierce promised to urge businesses to recycle more

Here is a roundup of election unofficial final results across the region.

In Pinellas County:

Largo City Commission Seat 5

Harriet K Crozier: 72.3 percent or 4,018 votes

John Mandujano: 27.7 percent or 1,538 votes

Total votes: 5,556

Largo City Commission Seat 6

Woody Brown: 74.4 percent or 4,104 votes

Curtis Holmes: 25.6 percent or 1,413 votes

Total votes: 5,517

St. Petersburg Council Member District 1

Robert A. 'Bob' Kersteen: 47.8 percent or 6,674 votes

Herb Polson: 52.2 percent or 7,301 votes

Total votes:13,975

St. Petersburg Council Member District 3

Bill Dudley: 50.9 percent or 7,298 votes

Ed Montanari: 49.1 percent or 7,041 votes

Total votes: 14,339

St. Petersburg Council Member District 5

James S. Bennett: 81.8 percent or 11,428 votes

New Election: 18.2 percent or 2,543 votes

Total votes: 13,971

St. Petersburg Council Member District 7

Gershom Faulkner: 47.8 percent or 6,643 votes

Wengay 'Newt' Newton: 52.2 percent or 7,254 votes

Total votes: 13,897

PSFRD Non-Ad Valorem Assessment

YES: 41.1 percent or 371 votes

NO: 58.9 percent or 531 votes

Total votes: 902

Largo Question No. 1

YES: 78.6 percent or 4,339 votes

NO: 21.4 percent or 1,180 votes

Total votes: 5,519

Largo Question No. 2

YES: 69.7 percent or 3,739 votes

NO: 30.3 percent or 1,628 votes

Total votes: 5,367

Largo Question No. 3

YES: 88.6 percent or 4,780 votes

NO: 11.4 percent or 617 votes

Total votes: 5,397

Largo Question No. 4

YES: 75.9 percent or 4,141 votes

NO: 24.1 percent or 1,317 votes

Total votes: 5,458

Largo Question No. 5

YES: 81.7 percent or 4,430 votes

NO: 18.3 percent or 991 votes

Total votes: 5,421

In Polk County:

Lakeland City Council at large Seat 2

Brian Dockery: 35.5 percent or 2,650 votes

Justin Troller: 43.1 percent or 3,211 votes

Steve Wade: 21.4 percent or 1,595 votes

Total votes: 7,456

Auburndale City Commission Seat 4

Allen Johnson 57.2 percent or 554 votes

Tim Pospichal: 42.8 percent or 415 votes

Total Votes: 969

Auburndale City Commission Seat 5

Keith Cowie: 48.1 percent or 464 votes

William K. Kranek Sr.: 7.9 percent or 76 votes

Randy Spears: 44 percent or 424 votes

Total votes: 964

In Manatee County:

Bradenton Mayor

Bill Evers: 41 percent or 3,057 votes

Bill Johnson: 12 percent or 895 votes

Wayne H. Poston: 46.37 percent or 3,457 votes

Total votes: 7,409

Bradenton Ward 5

Harold E. Byrd, Jr.: 48.61 percent or 3,624 votes

James T. Golden: 45.78 percent or 3,413 votes

Total votes: 7,037

Bradenton Beach Mayor

Michael Pierce: 59.94 percent or 193 votes

William Shearon: 44 percent or 127 votes

Total votes: 320

Longboat Key Referendum

Yes: 79 percent or 367 votes

No: 21 percent or 71 votes

Total votes: 438

In Sarasota County:

Countywide Referendum to Continue Sales Tax

Yes: 66.3 percent or 48,325 votes

No: 33.7 percent or 24,609 votes

Total votes: 72,934

Countywide Super Majority Vote Required

Yes: 61.5 percent or 44,599 votes

No: 38.5 percent or 27,949 votes

Total votes: 72,548

In Venice:

Venice City Council Seat 5

Gary Budway: 3.6 percent or 279 votes

Sue Lang: 65.5 percent or 5,042 votes

Jim Woods: 30.9 percent or 2,375 votes

Total votes: 7,696

Venice City Council Seat 6

Bill Willson: 33.2 percent or 2,549 votes

Ernie Zavodnyik: 66.8 percent or 5,140 votes

Total votes: 7689

Venice Mayor

Fred Hammett: 34 percent or 2,695 votes

Ed Martin: 65 percent or 5,013 votes

Total votes: 7,708

In the City of Sarasota:

Ed Smith Sports Stadium Referendum

Yes: 48.7 percent or 4,206 votes

No: 51.3 percent or 4,431 votes

Total votes: 8,637

Instant Runoff Voting Amendment

Yes: 77.6 percent or 6,554 votes

NO: 22.4 percent or 1,891 votes

Total votes: 8,445

Alternate Minimum Wage Amendment

Yes: 68.3 percent or 5,828 votes

NO: 31.7 percent or 2,710

Total votes: 8,538

Super Majority Vote for Land Density Issues

Yes: 62.8 percent or 5,311 votes

NO: 37.2 percent or 3,147 votes

Total votes: 8,458

Two-Hundred Dollar Maximum Campaign

Yes: 86.5 percent or 7,315 votes

No: 13.5 percent or 1,146 votes

Total votes: 8,461

Campaign Contribution Restricted

Yes: 83. percent or 6,948 votes

No 17 percent or 1,422 votes

Total votes: 8,370

Hand Delivery of Final Treasurer's Report

Yes: 89.9 percent or 7,429 votes

No: 10.1 percent or 832 votes

Total votes: 8,261 votes

Amendment to Change Dates

Yes: 88.9 percent or 7,389 votes

No: 11.1 percent or 924 votes

Total votes: 8,313

Amendment to Allow City Manager to Exercise Emergency Management Powers

Yes: 81.7 percent or 6,836 votes

No: 18.3 percent or 1,530 votes

Total votes: 8,366

Amendment Re: Authority and Appointment of Charter Review Committees

Yes: 83.1 percent or 6,827 votes

No: 16.9 percent or 1,389 votes

Total votes: 8,216

Reporters Billy Townsend and Carlos Moncada contributed to this report. Information from the Sarasota Herald Tribune was also used. Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT