Gov. DeSantis appoints Manatee commissioner to supervisor of elections

On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was appointing Manatee County Commissioner James Satcher to be the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections.

Satcher told the East County Observer in February that he would accept the position if appointed and then would run for the against Scott Farrington, who has served 11 years as the No. 2 elections official in the supervisor’s office. Farrington had been running the office since the resignation of Mike Bennett Feb. 1.

DeSantis appointment has received a lot of attention in Manatee County where Bennett, who ran the office since 2012, had been vocal about Farrington being overwelmingly more qualified to run the post than Satcher.

So far, Carol Ann Felts and Jennifer Lynne Hamey have filed to run for Satcher's vacated District 1 commission seat.

Satcher said in a previous interview about accepting the supervisor of elections position, "A public servant is generally going to be looking, or open to the role where he can make the biggest difference and do the most good. That’s how I’ve made decisions my whole life, honestly."

A release from the governor's office Friday noted that Satcher in a minister and a commissioner, and has run a successful nonprofit.