Candidate Profile 2024: Shari Thornton For Sarasota County Commission

SARASOTA, FL — Retired health care executive Shari Thornton is running for the Sarasota County Commission District 3 seat.

Thornton, who is running without any party affiliation, doesn’t face any challengers in the Aug. 20 primary election.

Republicans Neil Rainford, the incumbent, and Tom Knight, and Janique Tenney, who qualified as a write-in candidate, are also vying for the position. Tenney also has no party affiliation, according to the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections.

Patch sent a questionnaire to all candidates in the District 3 race. Rainford and Tenney didn’t respond.

Find Thornton’s responses below:

Name:

Shari Thornton

Age

60

Occupation

Retired, served as a health care executive for over 30 years

Political Party Affiliation

No Party Affiliation (NPA)

Why are you running for office?

To stop overdevelopment. We are seeing zoning and comprehensive plan amendments that are negatively impacting the people of Sarasota County. Lakewood Ranch (Southeast) is one example: The land as purchased allowed for 717 dwellings. After zoning and comprehensive plan amendments the SAME property was approved for 6,600 dwellings. That is an 820 (percent) increase in density.

What do you think are the top three issues the county is currently facing?

Overdevelopment, traffic congestion, and concern for county and natural resources.

Learn more about Thornton at her campaign website and on her Facebook page.