Sarasota County, Florida

Sarasota County Commissioner District 2

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

This race. The sitting officeholder, Mark Smith, is on the ballot.

Florida › Sarasota County › Sarasota County Commissioner District 2

Decided at the 2026 primary: Mark Smith won the seat

DECIDED August 18: this all-Republican race ran as a universal primary open to all voters, and incumbent Mark Smith won a second term, 53.3 to 46.7 percent over Kristina Sargent, per Suncoast Searchlight; the primary decided the seat.

Winner

Mark Smith

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities

Control growth, improve traffic and fight for clean air and water
Keep taxes low and fight inflation to keep Sarasota affordable
Keep the community safe

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Mark Smith is a Siesta Key architect and the sitting District 2 commissioner serving as board vice chair; after the 2024 floods he pushed the county to create a standalone Stormwater Department, per Suncoast Searchlight.

Campaign finance

$107,160 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Also ran in the primary

Kristina Sargent

Republican

Top priorities

Infrastructure that keeps pace with development, especially stormwater and roads
Accountability for every tax dollar, with an audit of county spending
Lower the tax burden on Sarasota families

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Kristina Sargent is a trial attorney and Army veteran who prosecuted cases in Baltimore and for the local State Attorney's Office, now managing partner of a civil-litigation firm, per her campaign site and Suncoast Searchlight.

Campaign finance

$40,695 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotSarasota County Commissioner District 4

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Sarasota County Commissioner District 2 in 2026?

The Sarasota County Commissioner District 2 race was decided at the 2026 primary - Mark Smith won the seat - and does not appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 2 candidates were on the primary ballot: Kristina Sargent and Mark Smith. Candidate information follows official Sarasota County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Sarasota County Commissioner District 2 election in Florida?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Sarasota County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Florida election office, or see the full Sarasota County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Sarasota County ballot

9 tracked races in Sarasota County, Florida. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Sarasota County School Board District 1 Sarasota County Charter Review Board District 3 Sarasota County Charter Review Board District 4 See all 9 Sarasota County races

Candidate profiles

Mark Smith, full profile Kristina Sargent, full profile Official Florida election office