In the city of Anna Maria, voters cast their ballots for two of three candidates to decide two seats on the city commission. Voters ousted incumbent Commissioner Chuck Webb, and re-elected Nancy Yetter and put political newcomer Brian Seymour in office for two-year terms.
Incumbent Webb ran for a fifth term, although not consecutive, and Yetter for a third consecutive term. Seymour, owner of the Anna Maria General Store on Pine Avenue, challenged in the race. He said he wanted to bring new energy to a “stagnant” commission.
Yetter topped out with 36 percent of the vote, while Seymour and Webb received 35 percent and 29 percent of the votes respectively.
“Obviously, I’m very pleased at the outcome. I’d like to thank everyone who supported me, and came out and helped me with my campaign,” said Yetter.
“I’m really excited that the residents trusted me in my first run for office to become a new city commissioner, and I’m looking forward to serving this great city and hoping to move this city forward,” said Seymour.
Webb did not respond to requests for comment.
However, Anna Maria’s final results will be delayed for several days by a voter challenge from candidate Webb.
Some of Anna Maria’s voters were surprised Nov. 8 when they arrived to the poll to find their voting rights challenged — even more so when they discovered Anna Maria Commission candidate Chuck Webb filed the challenges.
Webb filed 96 voter challenges the day prior to Election Day, which resulted in 16 mail-in ballots and 80 voters casting ballots at the polls being excluded from Tuesday night’s pre-certification election results. They were allowed to cast provisional ballots.
Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett said the provisional ballots for the challenged voters would be reviewed Nov. 10 for consideration in the final results published Nov. 11, but the ballots would not be included in the results announced on election night.
However, the 96 votes are not likely to affect the outcome for the two commissioners, considering Yetter closed out election eve with 466 votes and Seymour with 452 votes to Webb’s 368.
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy was unopposed for a second two-year term. He receives $19,600 in annual compensation.
Commissioners receive a $500 monthly stipend.
Of 1,178 registered voters in Anna Maria, 912 people cast ballots in the Nov. 8 election, which included federal, state, county and school district races in addition to the commission contest.
Anna Maria residents cast 366 mail-in and 101 early ballots. Polling on Election Day was at Roser Memorial Community Church, 517 Pine Ave.