Florida judicial elections, 2012 - County Court

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Judicial Elections
Judicial elections, 2012
Judicial election dates

The Florida judicial elections consisted of a primary on August 14th and general election in November 6th.^[1]

The filing deadline for judicial offices was April 20, 2012.^[1]

All contested County Court races (2 or more candidates) appear on the primary ballot. If one candidate receives a majority of the votes in the primary, they automatically win and do not appear on the general election ballot. If no one receives a majority vote, the two highest-voted candidates will advance to the general election.

Unopposed candidates (who are often judges running for re-election), do not appear on the ballot, but are considered automatically elected following the primary election.^[2]

County Courts

Bay County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
VannShane Vann A	Yes			A

Brevard County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
ClarkeCathleen B. Clarke A	Yes	Group 7		A
JacobusCurt Jacobus	No	Group 5	38.6%A	46.9% D
MurphyJohn C. Murphy A	Yes	Group 11		A
AtkinJudy Atkin A	Yes	Group 10	56.2%A	A
FriedlandKenneth Friedland A	Yes	Group 6		A
RichardsonMorris Richardson	No	Group 10	26.1%
EdwardsSam Edwards	No	Group 5	23.2%
CutshallSean C. Cutshall	No	Group 10	17.7%
KoonsStephen R. Koons A	No	Group 5	38.2%A	53.1% A

Broward County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
MarksAlan R. Marks A	Yes			A
BackmanArlene Simon Backman A	Yes			A
Lerner-WrenGinger Lerner-Wren A	Yes			A
LiebermanIlene Lieberman	No	Group 6	44.4%
FishmanJane D. Fishman A	Yes			A
LevyJill K. Levy A	Yes			A
Murphy IIIJoseph A. Murphy III A	Yes			A
McHughKathleen Mary McHugh A	No	Group 6	55.6%A	A
SchiffLouis H. Schiff A	Yes			A
GoldenMelanie Golden	No	Group 32	40.6%
BrownMindy Kirsch Brown A	Yes			A
LevineOlga M. Levine A	No	Group 5	36.3%A	52.3% A
GoodisRandy Goodis	No	Group 10	22.3%
SachsRichard Adam Sachs	No	Group 5	25.2%
DiazRobert F. Diaz A	Yes	Group 10	49.7%A	58.7% A
NicholsRobert Nichols (Florida)	No	Group 5	38.5%A	47.7% D
LeeRobert W. Lee A	Yes			A
BanksRoshawn Banks	No	Group 10	28.0%A	41.3% D
ZellerSharon Zeller A	Yes			A
MillerTerri-Ann Miller A	Yes	Group 32	59.4%A	A

Calhoun County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
GroverKevin Grover A	Yes			A

Charlotte County

Candidate	Incumbency	Election Vote
BurnsJohn L. Burns (Florida) A	Yes	A
AlessandroniPaul Alessandroni A	Yes	A
BellPeter A. Bell A	Yes	A

Collier County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
TurnerEugene C. Turner	Yes	Group 2	42.5%A	44.8% D
McGarityJim McGarity A	No	Group 2	46.5%A	55.2% A
CarrMichael Carr (Florida) A	Yes	Group 6	65.8%A	A
LopezSamuel D. Lopez	No	Group 2	11.0%
SmithStephen Smith (Florida)	No		34.2%
MurphyVincent Murphy A	Yes			A

Duval County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
ShoreBrent D. Shore A	Yes			A
CoferCharles Cofer A	Yes			A
HudsonDawn Hudson A	Yes			A
Ferguson, IIIEmmet F. Ferguson, III A	Yes			A
RuthJames A. Ruth A	Yes			A
KalilMichelle Kalil A	No	Group 12	40.8%A	56.0% A
DrakePauline Drake A	Yes			A
Peoples-WatersRhonda Peoples-Waters	No	Group 12	31.4%A	44.0% D
AriasRoberto A. Arias A	Yes			A
HeplerRuth Hepler	No	Group 12	27.8%
TannerSharon Tanner A	Yes			A

Escambia County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Election Vote
WilliamsJoyce H. Williams A	Yes		A
DannheisserThomas Dannheisser A	Yes	Division 3	A
JohnsonThomas E. Johnson A	Yes		A

Flagler County

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
AtackCraig Atack	No	24.6%A	48.9% D
AppignaniDon Appignani	No	7.2%
DavisJosh Davis	No	6.6%
DwyerMarc Dwyer	No	16.9%
Moore StensMelissa Moore Stens A	No	22.9%A	51.1% A
FelicianoSharon Feliciano	No	8.9%
WestbrookW. Scott Westbrook	No	13.0%

Franklin County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
RussellVan Russell A	Yes			A

Gadsden County

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
AllmanFrancis Allman Jr.	No	28.5%
GarnerKathy L. Garner A	Yes	57.1%A	A
DavisMarva A. Davis	No	14.4%

Gilchrist County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
LangDavid Miller Lang	No		49.2%
LancasterSheree H. Lancaster A	No		50.8%A	A

Gulf County

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
Hill (Florida)Brian Hill (Florida)	No	30.3%
PattersonJarred Patterson	No	11.9%
McFarlandTim McFarland A	Yes	57.7%A	A

Hardee County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
McKibbenJeffrey J. McKibben A				A

Hendry County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
SloanJames D. Sloan A	Yes	Glades & Hendry counties		A

Hillsborough County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
TwineBarbara Twine	No	Group 4	34.2%
PerroneFrances Maria Perrone A	No	Group 4	55.9%A	A
FernandezGaston J. Fernandez A	Yes			A
Herb Berkowitz A	Yes			A
OberJoelle Ann Ober A	Yes	Group 3	63.6%A	A
Grant, IIIJohn A. Grant, III	No	Group 3	36.4%
Williams-YuleeLanell Williams-Yulee	No	Group 4	9.9%
LucasMatthew C. Lucas A	Yes		57.6%A	A
JacobsNancy Jacobs (Florida)	No	Group 12	42.4%
WeisRichard A. Weis A	Yes			A
FarrScott A. Farr A	Yes			A
HeinrichWalter R. Heinrich A	Yes			A

Indian River County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
MorganDavid C. Morgan A	Yes			A
WildJoe A. Wild A	Yes			A

Jackson County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
MercerDouglas Wade Mercer A	No			A

Jefferson County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
PlainesRobert R. Plaines A	Yes			A

Lake County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
BaxleyJames R. Baxley A	Yes			A

Lee County

Candidate	Incumbency	Election Vote
AdamsJames R. Adams A	Yes	A
HayesLeigh Frizzell Hayes A	Yes	A
GonzalezMaria E. Gonzalez A	Yes	A
PaluckTara P. Paluck A	Yes	A

Leon County

Candidate	Incumbency	Election Vote
Aikens, Jr.Augustus D. Aikens, Jr. A	Yes	A
HawkinsJudith W. Hawkins A	Yes	A
WheelerRobert R. Wheeler A	Yes	A
FluryRonald W. Flury A	Yes	A

Levy County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
MunkittrickCyndee Munkittrick	No		40.2%
BrowningJames T. Browning A	Yes		59.8%A	A

Liberty County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
HosfordKenneth L. Hosford A	Yes			A

Madison County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
Browning IIIE. Bailey Browning III A	No		63.2%A	A
StoneTom Stone	No		36.8%

Marion County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
Mackey-BarnesLeAnn Mackey-Barnes	No	Group 3	40.7%
GuilfoilPaul J. Guilfoil	No	Group 4	43.5%
LandtRobert E. Landt A	No	Group 4	56.5%A	A
Ritterhoff WilliamsSarah Ritterhoff Williams A	Yes			A
ThompsonThomas Thompson A	No	Group 3	59.3%A	A

Miami-Dade County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
PandoAna M. Pando	Yes	Group 10	49.2%
WolfsonAndrea Wolfson A	Yes	Group 24	48.4%A	53.8% A
HagueAndrew S. Hague A	Yes			A
SpiegelArthur Spiegel	No	Group 24	24.3%
SchwartzCaryn C. Schwartz A	Yes			A
JohnsonCharlie Johnson A	Yes			A
DenaroDawn V. Denaro A	Yes			A
White-LaboraDeborah White-Labora A	Yes	Group 18		A
Gonzalez-WhyteDiana Gonzalez-Whyte A	No	Group 10	50.8%A	A
CohnDon S. Cohn A	Yes	Group 40	51.0%A	A
YaborEnrique Yabor	No	Group 28	38.9%
LobreeFleur J. Lobree	Yes		29.1%
HernandezFrank A. Hernandez	No	Group 1	43.5%
PerezGladys Perez A	Yes			A
Gonzalez-MeyerGloria Gonzalez-Meyer A	Yes			A
WallaceGreer Elaine Wallace	No	Group 24	27.3%A	46.2% D
CuestaIvonne Cuesta A	No	Group 27	67.3%A	A
SeskinJacci Suzan Seskin	No	Group 27	32.7%
RodriguezJohn Rodriguez	No	Group 33	49.7%
Davis, Jr.Joseph I. Davis Jr. A	Yes			A
KingLawrence D. King A	Yes			A
SteinLinda Singer Stein A	Yes			A
SimonLourdes Simon A	Yes			A
Krieger-MartinLuise Krieger-Martin A	Yes			A
OrtizMaria D. Ortiz A	Yes			A
FrancisMary Jo Francis A	Yes			A
Alvarez BarakatMichelle Alvarez Barakat A	No	Group 20	70.9%A	A
LehrMyriam Lehr A	Yes			A
Marino-PedrazaPatricia Marino-Pedraza A	Yes	Group 1	56.5%A	A
FaberRobin Faber A	Yes			A
SlomSamuel J. Slom A	Yes			A
KravitzShelley J. Kravitz A	Yes			A
LeifmanSteve Leifman A	Yes			A
BrinkleyTanya Brinkley A	No	Group 28	61.1%A	A
ThomasTeretha Lundy Thomas A	Yes	Group 33	50.3%A	A
del PinoVictoria del Pino A	Yes			A

Monroe County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
MillerWayne Miller A	Yes			A

Nassau County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
BurgessGranville C. Burgess A	Yes			A

Okaloosa County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
GrinstedPatricia Grinsted A	Yes			A

Okeechobee County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
BryantJerald D. Bryant A	Yes			A

Orange County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
CranerA. James Craner A	Yes			A
McGinnisAdam K. McGinnis A	No	Group 11	54.3%A	A
CameronAndrew Cameron A	No	Group 13	51.3%A	A
PlogstedtAntoinette Plogstedt	Yes	Group 11	45.7%
Cheek, IIILeon B. Cheek, III	Yes	Group 13	48.7%
AdamsMartha C. Adams A	Yes			A
BellMaureen Bell A	Yes			A
JewettSteve Jewett A	Yes			A
MartinezWilfredo Martinez A	Yes			A

Osceola County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
DraperCarol E. Draper A	Yes			A
MullinsErnest J. Mullins	No	Group 4	41.1%
Epperson, Jr.Hal C. Epperson, Jr. A	Yes	Group 4	58.9%A	A
O'BrienHeather K. O'Brien A	Yes	Group 2	74.1%A	A
DunlopPhilip T. Dunlop	No	Group 2	25.9%

Palm Beach County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
GarrisonEdward A. Garrison A	No	Group 6	58.4%A	A
CastorFrank Castor A	Yes			A
SullivanJane Frances Sullivan	No	Group 6	41.6%
LemoineKenneth Duane Lemoine	No	Group 4	26.6%
HanserLeonard Hanser A	Yes			A
PerezNancy Perez A	Yes			A
EvansPeter Evans A	Yes	Group 4	73.4%A	A
Bosso-PardoSandra Bosso-Pardo A	Yes			A
BoorasTed Booras A	Yes			A

Pasco County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
WansboroAnne Wansboro A	Yes			A
VanDercarCandy Morris VanDercar A	Yes			A
VergosEva Vergos	No	Group 2	26.5%
GreyFrank I. Grey A	No	Group 2	31.9%A	53.9% A
PoblickJoseph A. Poblick	No	Group 2	10.2%
SaltonMarc H. Salton A	Yes			A
HanlonTom J. Hanlon	No	Group 2	31.4%A	46.1% D
SestakWilliam G. Sestak A	Yes			A

Pinellas County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
McKytonCathy Ann McKyton A	No	Group 2	67.7%A	A
HorroxDonald E. Horrox A	Yes			A
KellyLorraine Kelly A	Yes			A
McNaryMyra Scott McNary A	Yes			A
AndringaScott Andringa	No	Group 2	32.3%
BedinghausSusan Bedinghaus A	Yes			A
FullertonWalt Fullerton A	Yes			A
OvertonWilliam H. Overton A	Yes			A

Polk County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
Barry Bennett (Florida) A	Yes			A
GrodeBob Grode A	No	Group 5	60.3%A	A
KirklandJohn Kirkland A	Yes			A
GriffinRobert E. Griffin A	Yes			A
TwyfordWilliam J. Twyford	No	Group 5	39.7%

Putnam County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
Boatwright IIJoe Boatwright II A	No	Group 1	43.8%A	55.9% A
WoodwardMichael W. Woodward	No	Group 1	18.3%
SmithTito S. Smith	No	Group 1	37.9%A	44.1% D

St. Johns County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
Christine, Jr.Alexander R. Christine, Jr. A	Yes			A

Sarasota County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
GoldmanJudy Goldman A	Yes			A

Seminole County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
KrauseDebra L. Krause A	No	Group 2	28.3%A	54.7% A
HassGregory A. Hass	No	Group 2	18.8%
PerryJaimon H. Perry	No	Group 2	17.9%
DeKlevaJames J. DeKleva A	No			A
DowdyJeff Dowdy	No	Group 2	35.0%A	45.3% D
HerrMark E. Herr A	Yes			A

Sumter County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
SkidmoreThomas D. Skidmore A	Yes			A

Taylor County

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
BallAngela M. Ball	No	24.1%
BlueBill Blue A	No	33.1%A	51.6% A
MooreG. Cline Moore	No	32.8%A	48.4% D
Raulerson PortwoodRhonda Raulerson Portwood	No	10.0%

Union County

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
BayerBo Bayer A	No	40.7%A	58.5% A
WebbDan Webb	No	11.3%
CooperJohn Cooper	No	5.6%
Maines, IVJohn E. Maines, IV	No	7.1%
WadeRusty Wade	No	26.0%A	41.5% D
TrueloveTherese Truelove	No	8.2%

Volusia County

Candidate	Incumbency	Office	Primary Vote	Election Vote
WarrenAdam Warren (Florida)	No		25.1%A	36.6% D
HoltAlan Holt	No	Group 4	12.6%
FeigenbaumBryan A. Feigenbaum A	Yes	Group 8	50.6%A	A
KellyChristopher Kelly A	No	Group 4	31.8%A	63.4% A
HavensDustin M. Havens	No	Group 4	13.8%
McDermottMichael McDermott (Florida)	No	Group 8	49.4%
BurkSteven R. Burk	No	Group 4	16.7%

In the News

Hillsborough County campaign turns bitter as early voting for Florida's primary election begins

As featured in JP Election Brief: Results from Texas and Georgia (and more!) on August 2, 2012.

Early voting has officially begun for the Florida primary election and will run through Aug. 11. The date of the primary is Aug. 14. Numerous judicial races will be decided.

Most of these races are fairly calm, due to strict rules for judicial campaigning in order to maintain confidence in the justice system. However, in Hillsborough County, at least one race has become a bit more contentious.

Incumbent county judge Joelle Ann Ober is fighting attorney John A. Grant, III for her seat. In a recent campaign mailing she made a number of accusations against Grant. She says he made an obscene phone call to a woman when he was 19, has been arrested for DUI three times, lied on an election document, performed poorly in law school and has even hit a police officer.

Grant did not deny most of the claims, but explained in an emotional online video that he has since turned his life around. He did deny the claim that he lied on an election form, explaining that when he checked "no" on a form asking if he had ever refused an alcohol or drug test, it was merely an oversight. He stated, "I don't want the mailer and my reaction to it to become a feature of this election…I'll accept the results of the people. I will lose this race and still have my integrity before I win without it."^[3]

Canon 7 of the Code of Judicial Conduct determines what judicial candidates can say about their opponents. A committee in 2004 expanded on this section, stating, "A candidate may criticize an opponent only if it is fair and truthful; is pertinent and material to the judicial office; is based on factual, not personal, grounds; is not about a pending case; and does not bring the candidate's impartiality or that of the judiciary into question."^[3]

Judge Ober holds that everything she shared was truthful and relevant. "These things are seriously important character flaws," she stated.^[3]

Florida incumbents challenged

As featured in JP Election Brief: Ready for the next round of primaries on July 26, 2012. Two Broward County Court incumbents are preparing to face challengers in the upcoming primary election. Most incumbent judges in the state run unopposed, but judges Robert F. Diaz and Terri-Ann Miller are ready to face the competition.

Diaz, who has served since 1992, holds the Group 10 seat and will face Roshawn Banks and Randy Goodis, two experienced lawyers. Banks is a foreclosure and criminal defense lawyer and a former public defender. Goodis has also worked as a public defender, as well as a prosecutor. Regarding the race, Diaz stated, "We're in the people business…You never know what's going to happen, and you need to be fair-minded with everyone who comes before you."^[4]

Miller has served since 2007 and holds the Group 32 seat. Her competition is Melanie Golden, a civil litigator and former public defender. Miller seems ready for the challenge, stating, "Voters deserve a choice."^[4]

Also in Broward County, two upcoming retirements have sparked races with no incumbents:

Group 5: Robert Nichols vs. Olga M. Levine vs. Richard Adam Sachs

Group 6: Ilene Lieberman vs. Kathleen Mary McHugh^[4]

External links

Florida Division of Elections, Candidate Listing 2012

Footnotes

Florida courts

Federal courts:

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida

State courts:

Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court

State resources:

Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida

[calendar-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Florida Division of Elections, Calendar of Election Dates

[2] 2011 Florida Statutes: 105.051 Determination of election or retention to office

[tampa-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Tampa Bay Times, "Hillsborough judicial race takes contentious turn," July 28, 2012

[article-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 South Florida Sun Sentinel, "10 vie for four seats on County Court bench," July 23, 2012

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