Charles B. Smith Sr.
Democrat Charles B. Smith Sr. is a Palmetto businessman and former Palmetto city commissioner and vice mayor. He won the Manatee County Commission District 2 seat in 2014 with 71.2% of the vote, and he ran for the District 2 Democratic nomination again in 2022. He is a founding member of the Manatee-Sarasota chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and faces incumbent Republican Amanda Ballard in 2026.
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Sources last checked 2026-09-18. Report an error ↗
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Environment & water Leans agree· stated position
At the June 2026 Tiger Bay debate he criticized the incumbent for votes he called against the environment and in favor of phosphate company Mosaic, and said the county should pursue economic development rather than building that destroys the environment.
Growth & development Leans agree· stated position
At a June 2026 Tiger Bay debate he said infrastructure should be built before new building permits are awarded and criticized building that destroys the environment. In a 2022 questionnaire he said the public should not pay for development's infrastructure and criticized his opponent for supporting every development that came before the commission.
"I’m for business, however, the public should not be footing the infrastructure cost."
No public position found on 5 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Property taxes, Housing affordability, Crime & policing, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Homelessness — At the June 2026 Tiger Bay debate Smith said he had 'no intention of putting homeless people in jail if elected.'
Endorsements (as reported)
- The Bradenton Times (editorial recommendation)