Mail-in vote total almost equal to Election Day voters at Boca Grande’s Precinct 18

BY MARCY SHORTUSE – There weren’t too many surprises in the unofficial final election results from the Precinct 18 polling place at the Boca Grande Community Center, as the Republican candidates swept the field by a heavy lead among the 972 filled out ballots.
There were 480 mail-in ballots recorded, 13 early voters, 477 voters who came to the polls on Election Day and one provisional ballot documented.
Countywide there are 489,192 active, eligible voters. Of those, 213,378 are registered as Republicans; 147,200 are registered as “other” parties; and 134,343 are registered as Democrats.
There were 224,168 mail-in votes countywide; 113,152 people voted early; 59,159 voted on Election Day; and there were 1,010 provisional ballots.
President Donald Trump received 586 votes (60.98 percent), while Joe Biden received 364 votes (37.88 percent). Candidate Jo Jorgenson received three votes.
In the Congressional race for district 19 Byron Donalds (REP) received 662 votes (70.43 percent), and Cindy Lyn Banjai (DEM) received 277 votes (29.47 percent). There was one write in.
In the state Senate race for District 27 Ray Rodrigues (REP) received 681 votes (72.68 percent) in comparison to Rachel Brown (DEM) who received 256 votes (27.32 percent).
In the state Senate race for District 76 Adam Botana (REP) received 675 votes (73.05 percent) while Anselm Weber (DEM) received 249 votes (26.95 percent).
In the Lee County sheriff’s race, current sheriff Carmine Marceno (REP) received 689 votes (74.89 percent) while Robert Neeld (DEM) received 201 votes (21.85 percent). NPA candidate Michael “Coach Ray” Qualls received 14 votes (1.52 percent) and NPA candidate Carmen McKinney received 16 votes (1.74 percent).
Marceno won countywide, and will continue on as our sheriff.
There was only one candidate listed for Lee County Property Appraiser, Rep. Matt Caldwell. He received 776 votes, and there were 10 write-in votes. He also won the popular vote throughout the county.
For the Board of County Commissioners District 1 seat Kevin Ruane (REP) was the only candidate listed. He received 769 votes. There were 13 write-in votes for that position. He won countywide as well.
In the Board of County Commissioners District 3 race Ray Sandelli (REP) held on with 666 votes (73.35 percent) and Dem. Todd James Truax received 242 votes (26.65 percent). He won countywide as well.
In the Board of County Commissioners District 5 race Frank Mann (REP) received 680 (75.39 percent) Boca Grande votes, and Juan A. Gonzalez (DEM) received 222 votes (24.61 percent). He won countywide as well.
In the race for the Justice of the Supreme Court entry, Carlos G. Muniz was given 589 “yes” votes in Boca Grande, and 154 “no” votes.
Of the first of six proposed constitutional amendments, the first – a citizenship requirement to vote – received 723 “yes” votes and 158 “no” votes. The second amendment proposal, to raise the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, received 452 “yes” votes and 448 “no” votes. The third proposed amendment, which would allow all voters to vote in the primary election for state legislature, governor and cabinet members, received 483 “no” votes and 388 “yes” votes.
Constitutional Amendment Four, which would require voter approval for all constitutional amendments, received 402 “yes” votes and 483 “no” votes. The fifth proposed amendment, limitations on homestead property tax assessments, received 703 “yes” votes and 165 “no” votes. The last amendment, an ad valorem tax discount for spouses of deceased veterans, received 822 “yes” votes and 75 “no” votes.
For the complete results, go to lee.vote.
While details are not forthcoming for our Charlotte County island voters who went to Precinct 78, American Legion Post 113 in Rotonda, we know that Trump took the lead there with 194 votes compared to Biden’s 111 votes. Jorgenson received five votes. Sheriff Bill Prummell will retain his position as sheriff, as he won over candidate C. Dale Ritchhart Jr. There were also 315 write-in candidates recorded countywide in that race.
All of these results were unofficial as of press time.
Overall in Charlotte County there were 56,853 mail-in votes recorded; 44,389 early votes; 15,661 voted on Election Day; and there were 185 provisional ballots recorded.
Voter turnout was reported to 77 percent in Charlotte County, For more information go to charlottevotes.com.