Amanda Ballard Files for Re-Election as Candidates Emerge for 2026 Manatee County Commission Races

Republican Manatee County Commissioner Amanda Ballard has filed to run for re-election to the District 2 seat, seeking a second term representing much of the county’s urban core, including parts of Bradenton and Palmetto. Ballard said she plans to run a consultant-free campaign, relying on family, friends, and local supporters.

Ballard previously worked as a lawyer at the Florida Department of Children and Families, specializing in child welfare law. She and her family live in Bradenton.

She is framing her campaign around public safety, infrastructure investment, and quality-of-life improvements, areas she says have gained renewed focus during her first term. District 2 flipped to Republican representation in 2022 for the first time in roughly three decades when Ballard defeated Democratic incumbent Reggie Bellamy.

During her time in office, Ballard has highlighted a mix of large-scale capital projects and neighborhood-based initiatives as evidence of reinvestment in the district. Those projects include the John Marble Recreation Center, Washington Park Community Center, the Under One Roof women’s shelter, and the Bradenton Area Convention Center, as well as efforts to preserve the historic Mixon Fruit Farms property from development. She has also pointed to lower-cost initiatives such as the county’s Bookmobile program, community gardens, and expanded constituent services.

Fiscal policy is also part of Ballard’s platform. The Manatee County Commission has reduced millage rates in two of her three years in office, and Ballard has said she intends to support a planned millage reduction in 2026.

Public safety and social services remain central to her campaign message. Ballard emphasized her role in shaping the county’s use of opioid settlement funds and advancing a strategy focused on expanding shelter capacity, centralizing services, and strengthening enforcement of public safety laws through partnerships with law enforcement and social service providers.

In addition to Ballard’s re-election bid, several other candidates have filed for Manatee County Commission seats that will be on the 2026 ballot, according to records from the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections.

For County Commission District 2, Ballard is currently joined in the race by Shavonda S. Griffin, who has filed as a no-party-affiliation candidate.

For County Commission District 4, Glen Gibellina has filed as a Republican candidate.

For the County Commission District 6 At-Large seat, multiple Republican candidates have filed, including Tony Barrett, John B. Calovich, Anthony C. Drake, and Edward J. Ference.

Candidate qualifying for the 2026 election cycle is ongoing, and additional filings may be submitted before the qualifying deadlines. The races for Districts 2, 4, and the at-large District 6 seat are expected to draw continued attention as the election season progresses and candidates further define their platforms for Manatee County voters.