Tuesday, Oct. 9 is the last day to register to vote in the November 6 general election, which will include The Legacy Trail Referendum and five amendments to Sarasota County's Charter. Voter registration applications are available at any Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office (Sarasota, Venice or North Port), as well as all public libraries, military recruitment offices and public assistance offices. The application can also be downloaded at sarasotavotes.com. In-person applications must be submitted to a Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office by 5pm, Tuesday, October 9. Online applications must be submitted by 11:59pm. Mailed applications must be postmarked by October 9.

The Sarasota County initiatives on the Nov. 6 ballot are: the Legacy Trail Referendum, which would fund the purchase of an old rail corridor to extend The Legacy Trail to Fruitville Road and make improvements to the existing trail, from North Port through Venice; a charter amendment that would limit petition signatures for citizen-initiated charter amendments to the relevant general election; a charter amendment to place Charter Review Board charter amendments only on November general election ballots, rather than the next countywide election; a charter amendment that would require the county to purchase a vacated portion of Beach Road that is currently restricted to pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and reopen it to vehicular traffic; a charter amendment that would prohibit the county from selling or giving away any county-owned parks and preserves, and prevent the county from vacating any road segments or rights of way along any beach, river, creek, canal, lake, bay, gulf access or waterfront vista; and a charter amendment that would require commissioners be elected only by voters in the districts in which they reside. To register to vote or verify registration in Sarasota County, visit the website below.

Sarasota Votes