Editing Sarasota County, Florida (section)

== Government and politics ==
Sarasota County is one of only 20 Florida counties with its own charter, adopted in 1971.  Sarasota County is governed by a five-member county commission. Each commissioner serves a four-year term and resides in and represents a single district.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sarasotaclerk.com/FileLib/CharterBooklet-20120701.pdf|title=Sarasota County Charter|date=July 2012|page=6|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128204732/http://www.sarasotaclerk.com/FileLib/CharterBooklet-20120701.pdf|archive-date=January 28, 2016|access-date=May 19, 2019}}</ref>

Like most of Southwest Florida, Sarasota County has been a stronghold for the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. It was one of the first parts of Florida to begin to favor the Republicans over the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]]. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county was [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in [[1944 United States presidential election|1944]]. The closest any Democratic candidate has come since was [[Barack Obama]] in [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]], who lost in the county by just 211 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://politics.heraldtribune.com/2012/05/13/sarasota-and-manatee-wallets-open-for-presidents-campaign/|title=Sarasota and Manatee wallets open for president's campaign|newspaper=[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]]|access-date=November 27, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222104605/http://politics.heraldtribune.com/2012/05/13/sarasota-and-manatee-wallets-open-for-presidents-campaign/|archive-date=December 22, 2014}}</ref> The Republican edge has narrowed somewhat since the 1990s, however; Democrats have managed at least 40 percent of the vote in every election since 1996. Yet the county has seen trends towards the Republican party, alongside the rest of Florida, since 2020, with [[Donald Trump]]'s 2024 victory in the county being the best performance by a Republican since 1988.

Republicans have historically dominated the county commission and all but two countywide elected positions. Democratic strength is concentrated in Sarasota, which has an all-Democratic city commission.

{{PresHead|place=Sarasota County, Florida|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/ |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |access-date=April 14, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414004543/http://uselectionatlas.org/ |archive-date=April 14, 2012}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|163,219|112,668|3,214|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|148,370|120,110|2,689|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|124,438|97,870|9,045|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|110,504|95,119|2,338|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|102,897|102,686|2,422|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|104,692|88,442|2,518|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|83,117|72,869|4,991|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|69,213|63,665|16,108|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|66,855|54,552|34,945|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|84,602|42,099|708|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|87,771|30,525|69|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|68,065|25,621|5,579|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|44,157|26,293|1,028|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|48,939|12,235|36|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|30,160|10,127|7,041|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|21,917|13,937|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|19,995|8,287|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|13,937|5,052|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|9,538|3,945|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|3,559|2,302|1,264|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|2,109|3,443|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,672|3,773|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,055|2,418|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|667|1,912|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,603|1,181|55|Florida}}
{{PresFoot|1924|Democratic|187|204|71|Florida}}

===Public safety===
Aside from the typical law enforcement and fire departments, Sarasota County also utilizes an Emergency Management agency. The agency's main area of focus is disaster preparedness and response. The agency is responsible for what are called Community Emergency Response Teams as well as the county emergency evacuation shelters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Emergency Management |url=https://www.scgov.net/government/emergency-services/emergency-management-4420 |website=www.scgov.net |publisher=Sarasota County Government |access-date=July 28, 2023}}</ref>

====Fire/EMS====
The Sarasota County Fire Department (SCFD) provides fire services to the City of Sarasota and all unincorporated areas of the county with the exception of areas covered by the Nokomis and Englewood fire districts. Additionally, SCFD provides [[emergency medical services|EMS]] service to the City of Sarasota, all unincorporated areas of the county (including areas covered by the Nokomis and Englewood fire districts) plus the city of Venice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scgov.net/Fire/Pages/default.aspx|title=Fire Department|publisher=Sarasota County government|access-date=November 27, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204191220/https://www.scgov.net/Fire/Pages/default.aspx|archive-date=December 4, 2014}}</ref>

====Law enforcement====
The [[Sarasota County Sheriff's Office]] (SSO) is the county's primary law enforcement agency. It is responsible for patrolling the unincorporated areas of the county along with operating the county's jail and providing courtroom security. SSO also operates the county's primary 911 center. The cities of [[Sarasota Police Department|Sarasota]], North Port, and Venice along with the Town of Longboat Key each have their own police departments. The [[Florida Highway Patrol]] is responsible for patrolling [[Florida Department of Transportation|FDOT]] maintained roads in the county ([[Florida State Highway System]]) and investigating [[traffic collision|motor vehicle accidents]] that occur in unincorporated areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flhsmv.gov/LECTaskForce/JurisdictionoftheFloridaHighwayPatrol.pdf|title=Jurisdiction of the Florida Highway Patrol|website=flhsmv.gov|access-date=March 18, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228201601/http://www.flhsmv.gov/LECTaskForce/JurisdictionoftheFloridaHighwayPatrol.pdf|archive-date=December 28, 2016}}</ref>

Three [[Specialist law enforcement agency|specialist law enforcement agencies]] have jurisdiction in the county: the [[Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport]] Police Department,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.srq-airport.com/about-us/airport-operations/police.aspx|title=Airport Police|publisher=[[Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport]]|access-date=November 27, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205031531/http://www.srq-airport.com/about-us/airport-operations/police.aspx|archive-date=December 5, 2014}}</ref> the [[New College of Florida|New College]]/[[University of South Florida Sarasota–Manatee|USF Sarasota-Manatee]] Campus Police Department,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncf.edu/police|title=Campus Police|publisher=[[New College of Florida]]|access-date=November 27, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141123051611/http://www.ncf.edu/police|archive-date=November 23, 2014}}</ref> the [[Seminole Gulf Railway]] (SGLR) Police Department<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/fc695db5bc7ebe2c852572b80040c45f/b0ef49acad41675f8525791200548181?OpenDocument|title=41426 - Decision|publisher=[[Surface Transportation Board]]|access-date=November 27, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204163904/http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/fc695db5bc7ebe2c852572b80040c45f/b0ef49acad41675f8525791200548181?OpenDocument|archive-date=December 4, 2014}}</ref> and the Sarasota County Schools Police Department.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Florida |first=Sarasota County Schools |title=Sarasota County Schools Police Department / SCS Police Department |url=https://www.sarasotacountyschools.net/Page/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sarasotacountyschools.net%2Fsite%2Fdefault.aspx%3FPageID%3D2420 |access-date=October 18, 2023 |website=www.sarasotacountyschools.net |language=en}}</ref> Each agency, except for the SCS Police Department, has jurisdiction in neighboring [[Manatee County, Florida|Manatee County]] as well, as each agency's properties extend into that county.

===Voter registration===
All voter information is {{as of|2024|10|31|df=US|lc=y|since=y}} and provided by Florida Department of Elections:<ref>{{cite web |date=October 31, 2024 |title=Voter Registration - By County and Party |url=https://dos.fl.gov/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reports/voter-registration-by-county-and-party/ |access-date=November 22, 2024 |website=Florida Department of State}}</ref>

====Party statistics====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! Party !! Registered Voters !! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]|| 159,410 || {{percentage|159,410|336,011|2}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]|| 87,587 || {{percentage|87,587|336,011|2}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent (United States)}}
| [[Independent (politician)|No party affiliation]]|| 79,279 || {{percentage|79,279|336,011|2}}
|-
|
| Minor parties
| 9,735
| {{percentage|9,729|336,011|2}}
|-
|
|'''Total Voters'''||'''336,011'''||'''100.00%'''
|}

===Government officials===

====United States Senate====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Office !! Senator !! Party
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| Class 1 Senator || [[Rick Scott]] || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| Class 3 Senator || [[Ashley Moody]] || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|}

====United States House of Representatives====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! District !! Representative !! Party
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| Florida's 17th Congressional District || [[Greg Steube]] || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|}

====Florida State Senate====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! District !! Senator  !! Party
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| 23 || [[Joe Gruters]] || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|}

====Florida House of Representatives====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! District !! Representative !! Party
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| 73 || [[Fiona McFarland]] || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| 74 || [[James Buchanan (Florida politician)| James Buchanan]] ||[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| 75 || [[Danny Nix]] ||[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|}

====Sarasota County Commission====
The Board of County Commissioners include the following:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sarasota County Government |date=November 22, 2024 |title=Board of County Commission |url=https://www.scgov.net/government/county-commission-bcc |website=Sarasota County Government}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|-
!Position
!Incumbent
|-
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |District 1
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="center"| Teresa Mast
|-
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |District 2
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="center"| Mark Smith
|-
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |District 3
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="center"| Tom Knight
|-
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |District 4
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="center"| Joe Neunder
|-
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |District 5
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="center"| Ron Cutsinger
|-
|}

{{reflist|group=note}}

====Sarasota County School Board====
The School Board members include the following:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-06 |title=2024 Sarasota County Live Election Results |url=https://www.heraldtribune.com/elections/results/2024-11-05/florida/12115/sarasota-county |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Herald-Tribune |language=en}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|-
!Position
!Incumbent
|-
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |District 1
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="center"|[[Bridget Ziegler]]
|-
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |District 2
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="center"|Liz Barker
|-
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |District 3
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="center"|Tom Edwards
|-
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |District 4
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="center"|Robyn A. Marinelli
|-
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |District 5
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="center"|Tim Enos
|-
|}

{{reflist|group=note}}