Prospective candidates for public office, as well residents who don’t plan to run but have an interest in election law, take part in the Candidates University Wednesday. The seminar was open to the public.
By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
A familiar face in county politics was missing from Wednesday’s Candidates University at the elections office in Bronson, and she had good reason for not attending.
Tax Collector Linda Fugate is retiring next year after 20 years on the job. She wants to spend more time with her new grandson, 3-month-old Parker Fugate.
“I’m going to retire. I have a new grandbaby and I’m going to retire so I can enjoy him,” Fugate said Thursday.
Two of Fugate’s employees, Michelle Langford and Sabrina Sheppard attended Candidates University to get acquainted with the laws and rules that will govern the 2020 election. They plan to run for the office.
One of the ironies of Fugate retiring and two of her employees seeking her seat is that 20 years ago something similar happened when Fugate’s former boss, the late Don Richburg, retired and Fugate filed to run for his seat.
Fugate said she faced seven opponents in her race.
The 2000 election, which Fugate won, was also unusual due to the number offices that changed hands in the courthouse.
Back then, some 19 years ago, the term Courthouse Cleaning was barely whispered by those who wanted to “throw the rascals out.” The end result of the 2000 election wasn’t a clean sweep of every county elective office, but there were a lot of changes.
Big Changes in 2000
After the dust had settled, the county had a new sheriff, a new clerk of court, a new tax collector and two new county commissioners.
In those days, there were two primaries. Former Clerk Mac McKoy got the most votes in the first primary, but lost to Danny Shipp, the current clerk, in the second primary.
In the sheriff’s face, Johnny Smith defeated Sheriff Ted Glass in the first primary and walloped Olin Slaughter in the general election.
District 1 County Commissioner Wilbur Dean, who is the current county coordinator, tallied the most votes in the first primary but lost to Tony Parker in the second primary. Parker was later indicted and removed from office for bribery.
District 5 Commissioner Frank Davis won the first primary but lost to Danny Stevens in the second primary. The seat is now held by County Commissioner Matt Brooks.
Was it a Courthouse Cleaning in 2000? Probably not; for one thing, Richburg retired and Fugate won his seat. Richburg wasn’t defeated. Also, then Elections Supervisor Connie Asbell didn’t have an opponent and Property Appraiser Francis Akins kept his seat in the 2000 election. He later lost to Osborne Barker, the current appraiser, in the 2008 election.
What are the lessons to be learned from all of this? The answers await us in the Aug. 19 primary and the Nov. 3 general election in 2020. Levy County residents will go to the polls to express their support or lack of it for incumbents and challengers.
Running In Someone Else’s District
Some of the incumbents in next year’s election attended the Candidates University. They were County Commissioners John Meeks and Mike Joyner, School Board members Chris Cowart and Paige Brookins, and Sheriff Bobby McCallum.
One of the questions raised was whether someone can live in one district and run for office in another district. The answer is yes, but state rules govern when they must live in the new district.
County commissioners that run in a district other than the one in which they live must move to their new district by the time of the election, and they must live in Levy County.
Constitutional officers – the clerk of court, supervisor of elections, property appraiser and sheriff – must live at the residence they claim as their home at the time they assume office. They must live somewhere in Levy County.
School board members that run in a district other than the one in which they live must move to their new district in Levy County by the time they qualify to run.
Stealing Campaign Signs
The stealing of campaign signs is commonplace in Levy County elections, but the thieves never admit to their crimes and no one is ever prosecuted for that reason.
Elections Supervisor Tammy Jones, who hosts the Candidates University program, told candidates they are wasting their time to complain to her about stolen campaign signs.
“I’m not the sign police, so if you are having some stolen, call the sheriff’s office. You can call me but I will tell you to call the sheriff,” Jones said.
Election Challenges
Jones told candidates they can contest elections where they feel they got bad treatment, but the only elections that can be recounted are those where the margin of victory is one-half of 1 percent.
Florida has closed primaries. Not everyone likes closed primaries, but the Republican Party, which controls the Florida Legislature, refuses to open primaries to voting by all political parties. The Democrats were of a similar mindset when they controlled the legislature.
The general election in November is when anyone can vote.
The legislature made one concession to closed primaries, saying if there are two or more candidates from the same party running for office in a particular race, and there is no other from other candidates from other parties on the ballot, the race becomes universal. Anyone can vote in that race.
150 foot Rule
One change in the law for next year’s election is that the supporters of candidates and the candidates themselves can stand no-closer than 150 feet from the door of the polling place. It’s not expected to change anything.
Early voting in Levy County occurs only at the elections office next to the courthouse. The elections office becomes a countywide polling place for early voting. Jones said she plans to measure 150 feet from the polling place door at the elections office to determine how close candidates and supporters can stand or park their vehicles.
Spotlight informally paced off 150 feet and found that candidates and supporters can probably continue parking their vehicles with attached magnetic advertising signs on the lawn of the First Baptist Church property, which faces the polling place door. At least one candidate parked his truck continuously on the church property in the week leading up to the 2016 election, giving him free advertising as voters passed by.
Jones said the 150 foot rule doesn’t apply to private property. One resident, who lives close to the 150 foot mark, could in theory place campaign signs on her property. But her property is surrounded by a 7 foot tall fence except for the driveway entrance.
Presidential Primary
Jones said Democrats may be the only people voting in the March 17 presidential primary unless someone in the Republican Party wants to challenge President Trump. In the presidential primary, Democrats vote for Democrats and Republicans for Republicans.
“It’s hard to tell people they can’t vote,” Jones said. She indicated she has fielded questions about why voters can’t vote in the presidential primary.
The number of rules and regulations governing Florida elections would choke an elephant, assuming the elephant was inclined to eat something that would leave a bad taste in its mouth.
It behooves political novices and veterans alike to learn the laws governing Florida elections. There isn’t much forgiveness for violators. Ignorance of the law is not a defense in court.
That’s why Jones, president of the Florida Association of Supervisor of Elections, stages the Candidates University prior to elections. She isn’t required to host the seminar. Candidates don’t have to attend.
But it’s a good idea to be there.
It’s too late now.
All of the information covered in Candidates University can be found on the Levy County supervisor of elections website at www.votelevy.com.
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Levy County Supervisor of Elections Candidates University November 6, 2019; Posted November 7, 2019
