Public meeting schedule of the Sarasota County Canvassing Board for May 13, 2025 City of North Port Special Election:
April 17, 9 a.m. – Orientation, logic and accuracy test, initial vote-by-mail (VBM) ballot canvass
May 8, 9 a.m. – VBM ballot canvass
May 12, 3 p.m. – VBM ballot canvass
May 13, 5 p.m. – Election day canvass, first unofficial results
May 15, 6 p.m. – Final VBM and provisional canvass, official results, certification of the election
May 16, 4 p.m. – Post-election certification audit
All meetings take place at the Election Operations Center, 4440 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, 34232. Should it be necessary to amend this schedule, a notice will be posted at SarasotaVotes.gov pursuant to 102.141(2) Fla. Stat.
Canvassing Board Members: County Judge Shannon Hankin (chair), Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner, Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners Joe Neunder, County Judge Kennedy Legler (alternate member) and County Commissioner Tom Knight (alternate member).
Following the test of voting equipment and automated independent audit system and the initial canvassing board meeting: 1) VBM ballot opening and processing will continue daily as needed to completion. 2) VBM, early voting and election day ballots will be scanned into the automated independent audit system daily as needed to completion. No results will be released until after the polls close on May 13.
Pursuant to 101.68(2)(c)4 Fla. Stat., if any elector or candidate present believes that a VBM ballot is illegal due to a defect apparent on the voter’s certificate, he or she may, at any time before the ballot is removed from the envelope, file with the canvassing board a protest against the canvass of that ballot. Unopened ballots will be available for public inspection for one hour prior to each opening.
Pursuant to 101.572(2) Fla. Stat, the supervisor of elections will provide reasonable access to ballot materials for inspection by a candidate, political party official, political committee official, or an authorized designee thereof, before canvassing or tabulation. Specific requests should be addressed to the supervisor of elections by email VoterServices@SarasotaVotes.gov, or by telephone 941.861.8623.
286.0105 Fla. Stat. states that if a person decides to appeal any decision by a board, agency, or commission with respect to any matter considered at a meeting or hearing, he or she will need a record of the proceedings and that, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made that includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.