County Commissioner District 6 At Large
August 18, 2026 · Manatee County, Florida · County · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 31 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 429,792 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(2,738,356 ÷ 429,792) ÷ ln(2,738,356 ÷ 7,687) = 31.52, comparing counties in FL (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
County Commissioner is responsible for:
- Passing county rules and the county budget
- Setting property tax rates that fund county services
- Overseeing county departments such as roads, parks, and public health
- Deciding land use in areas outside city limits
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Edward J. Ference
Republican · declared
Edward J. Ference is a Republican candidate for Manatee County Commissioner District 6 At Large. He has worked for Manatee County Utilities for more than 30 years.
John B. Calovich
Republican · declared
John B. Calovich is a Republican candidate for Manatee County Commissioner District 6 At Large. He is a business executive and local board member.
Reggie J. Bellamy
Democratic · declared
Reggie J. Bellamy is a Democratic candidate for Manatee County Commissioner District 6 At Large. He previously served as a Manatee County commissioner from 2018 to 2022.
Tara Poulton
Republican · declared
Tara Poulton is a Republican candidate for Manatee County Commissioner District 6 At Large. She serves as District Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan.
Tony Barrett
Republican · declared
Tony Barrett is a Republican candidate for Manatee County Commissioner District 6 At Large. He currently serves as an elected East Manatee Fire Rescue District commissioner.
Election sources
Source: votemanatee.gov
Source: voterfocus.com