GOP voters across Anna Maria Island had their opportunity Jan. 31 to select who they want to be the Republican presidential nominee during the primary election. Islander Photo: Mark Young
Voter turnout in Anna Maria for Florida’s Jan. 31 Republican primary election was “strong” throughout the day, said election deputy Janet Barnhart, shown here opening the door of the Roser Memorial Community Church polling station for voter Tom Chaya. Of Anna Maria’s 604 registered Republicans, 56.6 percent — 342 — cast a ballot, compared with 44 percent countywide, according to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website. Islander Photo: Rick Catlin
Sandy and Danny Moses of Holmes Beach stop outside the poll with poll worker Earl Hunt after voting in the Republican primary election Jan. 31 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive. Islander Photo: Kathy Prucnell
“Come back in about an hour and a half and you might catch someone voting,” was the statement from one poll worker at Tingley Memorial Library in Bradenton Beach.
While Anna Maria and Holmes Beach saw significant numbers of voters turn out for the Jan. 31 Republican primary election, Bradenton Beach’s turnout was down from the 2008 GOP presidential primary.
Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney won all of Florida’s 50 delegates and was the clear winner in Manatee County, earning more than 48 percent of the vote. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich collected over 27 percent of the vote with Rick Santorum garnering 16 percent countywide.
In polling precincts across the state, Romney won Florida by 18 percentage points over Gingrich, but the percentage was higher within the county, with Romney winning by 21 percent.
In 2008, there were only 97 Anna Maria Republicans who participated in the GOP primary, but of the 473 registered voters, 221 participated in this year’s election, more than a 46 percent voter turnout.
Holmes Beach is the only city on the Island with two precincts and boasts the highest number of registered Republican voters. In 2008, 306 voters participated in the primary election, but this year 740 out of more than 1,300 registered GOP voters cast their ballots for an impressive primary turnout of over 56 percent.
There were 141 votes cast in Bradenton Beach during the 2008 primary election. During this year’s primary, only 124 out of 364 registered voters participated in the election for a 34 percent turnout.
Recent U.S. Census population trends have showed a decline in permanent Island residents. One of the indicators of the decline is a drop in voter registration, but two of the three Island cities had significantly more participation in this election cycle than in 2008..
