FOLLOW THE MONEY
August 18, 2026
Republican Primary Election — Sarasota County Commission Districts 2 & 4
Key Dates
| Voter Registration Deadline | July 20, 2026 | Party-affiliation deadline for the closed primary |
| Early Voting Begins | August 8, 2026 | Early voting sites open countywide |
| Early Voting Ends | August 16, 2026 | Last day for early in-person voting |
| Mail Ballot Request Deadline | August 8, 2026 | Via the Supervisor of Elections |
| PRIMARY ELECTION DAY | August 18, 2026 | Polls open 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM |
The Closed Primary
This is a Republican primary election. In Florida, primaries are closed — only voters affiliated with the Republican Party take part in the Republican primary.
Voters affiliated as NPA (No Party Affiliation), Democrat, or another party do not take part in the Republican primary; the party-affiliation deadline was July 20.
In Sarasota County, the Republican primary IS the election.
Republicans outnumber Democrats by a wide margin, so whoever wins the Republican primary almost certainly wins the general election in November.
What's on the Ballot?
District 4
Mid-county: Venice, North Port, south Sarasota
Joe Neunder (incumbent) — Voted for $876M in new obligations
Jim DeNiro (challenger) — Retired Sarasota PD Sergeant, 30 years
Learn more about District 4 →
District 2
City of Sarasota, barrier islands, Siesta Key
Mark Smith (incumbent) — Won by 373 votes, yes on every record budget & bond
Kristina Sargent (challenger) — Army veteran, prosecutor, attorney
Learn more about District 2 →
$876 million in new spending and debt in three years — every dollar drawn from the county's own audited books.