Florida local trial court judicial elections, 2016

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2016 Local Judicial Elections

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Elections Information

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Unopposed races and the practice of post-dating judicial resignations to block elections highlighted questions about the role of democracy in Florida's circuit and county judicial seats in the 2016 election cycle. Only the 60 opposed seats out of the total 252 seats up for election on these courts saw a vote on August 30, 2016. All unopposed candidates were automatically elected without ever appearing on a ballot or facing a public vote.

Three judges used advance notice of their resignations to serve almost the entirety of their elected terms before leaving the bench, which effectively blocked the election of their successors.

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HIGHLIGHTS

The state was sued by prospective candidate Steve Pincket over the practice of canceling elections for judicial offices due to post-dated judicial resignations that create short vacancies in the offices.

Florida voters rejected replacing contested judicial elections with a merit selection alternative in 2000.

Beyond elections canceled by vacancies, over three-quarters of the seats up for election in 2016 were canceled because only one candidate filed for a seat.

Legal precedent required vacancies as short as one business day in a judicial office to be filled by a gubernatorial appointment, no matter how far in advance the resignation is known and regardless of whether or not a scheduled election could be held before the resignation would take effect. Judges who have utilized this method have explicitly stated their intention to prevent elections in favor of an appointed judiciary system. One potential judicial candidate, Steve Pincket, sued the state over the matter, arguing that these methods usurped the will of the voters and the state's constitution.

The low candidacy interest in these races and practice of post-dated resignations to force appointments by sitting judges conflicted with voter resistance to ending the practice of contested elections. Voters could have ended the practice of contested elections for county and circuit court judges in 2000, but all of the counties and circuits voted to reject a switch to merit appointments with retention elections.

Issues

Democracy and the courts

HIGHLIGHTS

Steve Pincket challenged a precedent of canceling elections when vacancies as short as one day occur.

The Florida Supreme Court rejected Pincket's petition, but a majority of the court voiced opposition to the practice of post-dating resignations to avoid elections.

Voters rejected one alternative to contested elections for county and circuit court judges in 2000.

Steve Pincket sued the state of Florida over the secretary of state's decision not to place a judicial seat on the ballot following a post-dated resignation in the office.

The Florida Constitution provides for regularly scheduled elections of county and circuit court judges, which allow for newcomers to file to join the courts, whether or not they are elected automatically in an unopposed race. It also requires vacancies in those offices to be filled by gubernatorial appointments. Rulings from the state’s high court have supported an interpretation of these provisions to use gubernatorial appointments to prevent gaps of service in the offices, even when those gaps are as short as one business day.

Steve Pincket filed a petition for writ of mandamus with the state’s supreme court on May 5, 2016. A writ of mandamus seeks to compel a public officer to perform a duty required by law. Pincket sought to convince the court in his filing that the law required the election to be held. If accepted by the court, the petition would have forced the secretary of state to hold an election for a judicial post with a post-dated vacancy.

In his petition, Pincket argued that post-dated resignations were being used to circumvent court precedent and the state constitution that call for circuit court judges to be elected. The high court, however, ruled against the claim. A mandamus can only be used to enforce rights already "clearly and certainly established in the law," and the supreme court ruled that the law did not provide a basis to enforce Pincket's request. The court approved the use of a gubernatorial appointment and accepted no motions for rehearing.

Despite a unanimous vote by the court, four of the seven supreme court justices wrote or joined in independent opinions that indicated sympathy to Pincket’s arguments. Following the rejection of his mandamus claim, Pincket filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief against the state in the 2nd Circuit Court.

Pincket's argument

Judge Olin W. Shinholser (left) served in the Group 6 seat on the 10th Circuit Court until his resignation took effect on December 26, 2016, a week before his term was set to end. While his resignation was announced in April 2016, prior to the candidacy filing deadline for the seat's election, the state argued the vacancy must be filled by gubernatorial appointment rather than election. Judge Scott M. Brownell (middle) of the 12th Circuit Court Group 4 seat and Judge Joseph G. Will (right) of the 7th Circuit Court Group 8 seat also announced post-dated resignations from their seats for the stated purpose of avoiding having their successor chosen by election.

Pincket had hoped to succeed retiring Judge Olin W. Shinholser, serving in the Group 6 seat on the 10th Circuit Court. Shinholser’s seat was set for election in 2016. In a letter dated April 1, 2016, Shinholser notified Gov. Rick Scott (R) that he would resign from office on December 26, 2016, rather than serve until his term's expiration on January 2, 2017. Shinholser explicitly stated his purpose in resigning early rather than not seeking re-election in the 2016 cycle, saying in the letter:

“	It is my desire and request that my successor be appointed by you. While there are certainly debateable points as to the pros and cons of succession by appointment verses election, it is my belief based upon year of observation that the appointment process is superior to the election process in the judicial context.	”
—Judge Olin W. Shinholser (April 1, 2016)

If Shinholser had not sought re-election, the regular election for the Group 6 would have carried forward according to plan. By post-dating his resignation to a week before his term was set to end, however, Shinholser created a vacancy in the office. Pincket filed to run for the seat on May 4, 2016. He received a letter from Florida Secretary of State’s Deputy Chief of Election Records Kristi Reid Bronson saying that the secretary declined the filing because the seat required a gubernatorial appointment.

Pincket stated in his petition to the supreme court, “Whether a judge can properly submit a resignation in such a way as to avoid an election is not only a question of constitutional law but also a question of judicial administration.” He further argued that the secretary of state did not have the legal authority to cancel the 10th Circuit Court Group 6 election and that the secretary “had a ministerial duty to accept [his] qualifying papers and place him on the ballot.”

In the filing, Pincket noted Shinholser’s reason for resigning—to avoid having the seat filled by election. He also noted two other seats in which similar reasoning was given by resigning judges: Judge Scott M. Brownell of the 12th Circuit Court Group 4 seat and Judge Joseph G. Will of the 7th Circuit Court Group 8 seat. Both Brownell and Will announced post-dated resignations to take effect on December 28, 2016. According to Pincket’s petition, “In each of these cases, including this one, the resigning judge expressly stated the purpose of resigning with an effective date so far off in the future was to ensure that his successor would be selected by an appointment rather than an election.” Candidates did file for both seats' elections and were refused in the same manner as Pincket: Elizabeth M. Boyle for the 12th Circuit Court and Linda Gaustad for the 7th Circuit Court.

Pincket argued the following in his petition:

“	There is no reason why the seat that will be vacated by Judge Shinholser should not be filled by an election in accordance with this provision. It is true that a resignation before the qualifying period would ordinarily require an appointment. But a resignation that is post-dated this far in the future to a point of just a few days before the end of the term is really nothing more than a decision not to seek election for another term.	”
—Steve Pincket (May 5, 2016)

Precedent from Spector v. Glisson prioritizes electoral process for judicial offices when possible

Pincket referred to the precedent set in Spector v. Glisson, 305 So. 2d 777 (Fla. 1974). In that case, a judge announced a post-dated resignation for the end of his term for the purpose of giving lawyers a notice that he would not seek re-election and that the seat would be open in the upcoming election cycle. Candidates who filed for the seat, however, were rejected on the basis that the resignation created a vacancy that required an appointment, according to the secretary of state. The state supreme court, however, rejected that argument and stated that an election was required. In the case, the court argued:

“	We feel that it necessarily follows from this consistent view and steadfast public policy of this state as expressed above, that if the elective process is available, and if it is not expressly precluded by the applicable language, it should be utilized to fill any available office by vote of the people at the earliest date possible.	”
—Florida Supreme Court (1974)

The court also clarified that when a resignation is “clearly and unconditionally fixed” and an election is scheduled to occur before it takes effect, the vacancy should be “filled by the intervening elective machinery.”

Pincket argued in his petition that his case was essentially the same and that the 10th Circuit Court vacancy created by Shinholser’s resignation could have been filed by the 2016 election cycle before it took effect; “Judge Shinholser resigned before the start of the qualifying period. Therefore, any candidate who is interested in running for his seat could easily qualify.”

Anyone elected to succeed Shinholser would not take office until a week after his resignation, leaving a one week vacancy in the office. Pincket addressed this point in his petition, pointing to an advisory opinion issued after Spector vs. Glisson, which clarified that gubernatorial appointments were still necessary to prevent “unreasonable vacancy” in a judicial office. Pincket argued that this precedent was then applied in several other cases, but always to avoid a physical or actual vacancy in the office.

Precedent from Trotti v. Detzner empowers judges to force appointment, rather than election, of successors

The case of Trotti v. Detzner, 147 So. 3d 641 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014), however, extended the argument to say that a physical vacancy of any length required a gubernatorial appointment and could not be replaced by an election. In that case, a resignation was announced before the candidate filing period but post-dated to take effect one business day before the end of the judge’s term. The Florida First District Court of Appeal ruled that this one day physical vacancy required a gubernatorial appointment.

Pincket argued that judges in the case of Trotti and his own were using post-dated resignations with a “nominal physical vacancy" to avoid the rule in Spector. He pointed to the Trotti decision as flipping the previous application of Spector:

“	We are no longer using a physical vacancy in the office as the reason to appoint a person to fill a large gap in service, as was the case in all the post-Spector decisions. Now we are using it as an excuse to justify the need for an appointment.	”
—Steve Pincket (May 5, 2016)

The refused candidate went on to critique the power to choose a successor the Trotti had given sitting judges. Referring to the original case of Spector, he stated, “Justice Ervin’s noble gesture (to give notice to all interested candidates that the seat will be open for an election) became a tool that can be used to defeat the constitutional right of voters to choose their circuit judge in an election.”

The maximum time period for the appointment process is 120 days. Pincket stated that Shinholser’s resignation nine months in advance meant that if the governor appointed his replacement according to the timeline “we will have a judge-in-waiting for a period of five months.”

Supreme court rejects petition, but majority criticize practice

Florida Supreme Court
Court Information
Justices: 7
Founded: 1845
Location:
Salary
Associates: $258,957
Judicial Selection
Method: Assisted appointment
Term: 6 years
Active justices
{{{Officeholders}}}

All seven of the state's supreme court justices rejected Pincket's mandamus claim against the secretary of state, stating that he had not made the case that the existing law "clearly and certainly" established the right to the election that he sought. The court's order upheld the secretary of state's decision to have the vacancy filled by gubernatorial appointment and did not allow for motions for rehearing.

A majority of the court, however, made clear that the case raised concerns that could not be addressed by a writ of mandamus. Justices Fred Lewis and Barbara Pariente wrote separate opinions and Justices Peggy Quince and James E.C. Perry concurred with Pariente's opinion.

Pariente reluctantly upheld the precedent set by Trotti that requires vacancies of even one day to be filled by appointment but criticized the court that formed that decision, saying it was not "faithful to the true purpose of the Florida Constitution and the voters' preference for election of their circuit and county court judges." She voiced a similar critique to Pincket's and argued that, "The personal preferences of individual judges, however well-motivated their intentions, should not be the basis for determining whether a vacancy exists that can be filled by election or appointment."

Lewis expressed a similar view to Pariente and stated that if he "were writing on a clean slate" he would defer to the ruling of Spector. He also highlighted that the state's constitution allows for a vote of the citizens of each circuit court to change the method of election from a contested election system to a merit selection and retention election system, but voters had previously rejected this option. "It therefore defies both logic and common sense that an elected judge in the last year of a term could unilaterally effect such a change by simply resigning before the statutory qualifying period with an effective date just days before the end of the term," Lewis stated in his opinion. He went on to say:

“	While I may even agree that the merit selection and retention of judges is far superior to the election of judges, the citizens of Florida clearly disagree. Thus, it is truly a sad day for Floridians when their trial court judges may manipulate the electoral process and prioritize their personal preferences over those espoused in the very Constitution they swore to defend. In any event, such is the state of our law and this is a Court of law, not one of personal preferences.	”
—Justice Fred Lewis (June 3, 2016)

Debating elected versus appointed judges

Pincket stated in his petition for writ of mandamus, “Whether a judicial vacancy should be filled an appointment or by an election should be determined by an objective legal standard. It should not be left to the discretion of the departing judge.” Additionally, he criticized Shinholser’s resignation stating, “Whether the appointment process is superior to the elective process, as Judge Shinholser believes, is simply not a matter for the departing judge to decide.”

Methods of judicial selection
Election methods
Partisan election
Nonpartisan election
Michigan method
Retention election
Assisted appointment
Assisted appointment
Bar-controlled commission
Governor-controlled commission
Hybrid commission
Direct appointment
Court appointment
Gubernatorial appointment
Legislative election
Municipal government selection

One alternative method of judicial selection was previously put before voters. In 1998, a Amendment 7 modified the state's constitution to allow each county and circuit to hold a vote on switching to a method of merit selection and retention election. In this system, judges would have been appointed to their initial term on a court by the governor. After serving their first term, the judges would be subject to a retention vote. In a retention election, voters either approve of the judge staying in office for another term or remove them from office. If removed, the seat is filled by a new gubernatorial appointment, and the process begins anew.

After the amendment was approved, the votes were set for the general election two years later on November 7, 2000. The alternative selection system was defeated in all counties and all circuits.

The defeat of the alternative, however, did not necessarily indicate satisfaction with the existing system. States across the country utilize a range of judicial selection methods, including options besides contested elections and retention elections. Additionally, how to handle vacancies in any elected or appointed office vary from state to state and office to office. In some states, certain timelines in vacancy determine whether an appointment or election process will be used to fill the office. Pincket suggested in his petition for writ of mandamus, “If this Court [the state supreme court] were so inclined, it could prohibit judges from resigning more than 120 days in the future,” in line with the appointment process timeline.

With most races going unopposed, however, the question remained to what degree using an electoral process provided voters with real choice. The system of canceling unopposed elections meant voters did not have the option of casting write-in votes against unopposed candidates.

Election analysis

Election analysis

Unopposed races cancel more than three-quarters of elections

	Circuit court races	County court races	Total
Unopposed:	125	67	76.2%
Opposed:	26	34	23.8%
Possible runoff:	10	15	10.3%
Incumbents seeking re-election:	110	83	76.6%
Incumbents not seeking re-election:	41	18	23.4%
Seats up for election:	151	101	252
Total candidates:	191	161	352
Candidates per seat	1.3	1.6	1.4

Of the races that appeared on ballots, county courts saw more and stiffer competition for their seats than those on the circuit courts. An overwhelming majority of races, however, were canceled at both levels.

Only 60 of 252 seats scheduled for election on Florida's circuit and county courts appeared on the ballot in 2016. Only 17.2 percent of the 151 circuit court races saw more than one candidate file for the election; the rate was almost twice that at 33.7 percent of the 101 county court races. Elections were canceled for the other 192 unopposed seats.

Of the races that were voted upon, only 25 had more than two candidates file. As the general election in November was only held for races where no candidate receives a majority of votes cast in the primary, those 25 races were the only ones with a possibility of appearing on the general election ballot. The rate of possible runoffs was higher among county court races at 14.9 percent; 6.6 percent of circuit court races could have seen runoffs.

Overall in both court types, over three quarters of incumbent judges filed to seek re-election. 82.18 percent of sitting county judges whose seats were up for election filed to seek new terms; that rate was 72.85 percent for circuit court incumbent judges.

Circuit court

Florida 1st Circuit Court

The 1st Circuit Court includes Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Escambia counties. No opponents filed to challenge in the four 1st Circuit Court judges seeking re-election. The incumbents were automatically re-elected and did not appear on the ballot.

Group 2

☑ John Brown (i)

Group 3

☑ Michael A. Flowers (i)

Group 11

☑ Coleman Robinson (i)

Group 21

☑ William F. Stone (i)

Florida 2nd Circuit Court

The 2nd Circuit Court includes Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties. No opponents filed to challenge in the four 2nd Circuit Court judges seeking re-election. The incumbents were automatically re-elected and did not appear on the ballot.

Group 9

☑ Karen Gievers (i)

Group 11

☑ Dawn Caloca-Johnson (i)

Group 14

☑ James C. Hankinson (i)

Group 15

☑ Jonathan Sjostrom (i)

Florida 3rd Circuit Court

The 3rd Circuit Court includes Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor counties. One seat on the court was up for election.

Group 1

☑ Paul S. Bryan (i)
☐ T. Bradley McRae

Florida 4th Circuit Court

The 4th Circuit Court includes Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties. Nine seats were scheduled for election in 2016, but only two races saw more than one candidate filing. The seven unopposed races were canceled.

Group 1

☑ Marianne Lloyd Aho (i)

Group 2

☑ Russell L. Healey (i)

Group 9

☑ Bruce Anderson
☐ David Trotti

Group 12

☑ Angela M. Cox (i)

Group 15

☑ Steven Fahlgren (i)

Group 20

☑ Mark Mahon (i)

Group 23

☑ Jack Schemer (i)

Group 25

☑ Mark Hulsey (i)
☐ Gerald L. Wilkerson

Group 31

☑ Linda McCallum (i)

Florida 5th Circuit Court

The 5th Circuit Court includes Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties. No opponents filed to challenge in the eight 5th Circuit Court judges seeking re-election. The incumbents were automatically re-elected and did not appear on the ballot.

Group 1

☑ Robert W. Hodges (i)

Group 2

☑ Lawrence J. Semento (i)

Group 9

☑ Thomas Eineman (i)

Group 15

☑ Donald Scaglione (i)

Group 21

☑ Ann Melinda Craggs (i)

Group 23

☑ Sandra Robbins (i)

Group 24

☑ Willard Pope (i)

Group 25

☑ William Hallman III (i)

Florida 6th Circuit Court

The 6th Circuit Court includes Pasco, and Pinellas counties. No opponents filed to challenge in the nine 6th Circuit Court judges seeking re-election. The incumbents were automatically re-elected and did not appear on the ballot.

Group 3

☑ Peter Ramsberger (i)

Group 5

☑ Sherwood S. Coleman (i)

Group 18

☑ Patricia Muscarella (i)

Group 19

☑ Jack Helinger (i)

Group 20

☑ Patrice Moore (i)

Group 22

☑ Cynthia J. Newton (i)

Group 27

☑ Keith Meyer (i)

Group 29

☑ Michael F. Andrews (i)

Group 30

☑ Kimberly Phillips Todd (i)

Florida 7th Circuit Court

The 7th Circuit Court includes Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties. Three of the seven seats on the court up for election in 2016 were unopposed, leading to the cancellation of those races.

Group 3

☑ Matthew M. Foxman (i)

Group 4

☐ Sebrina Slack
☑ Stasia Warren
☐ Chris France - Withdrawn

Group 5

☑ Dennis P. Craig (i)

Group 10

☑ Scott DuPont (i)
☐ Malcolm Anthony

Group 13

☐ Charles David Hood Jr. (i)
☑ A. Kathleen McNeilly

Group 17

☑ Howard McGillin Jr. (i)
☐ Linda Gaustad

Group 22

☑ Dawn D. Nichols (i)

Florida 8th Circuit Court

The 8th Circuit Court includes Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union counties. No opponents filed to challenge in the six 8th Circuit Court judges seeking re-election. The incumbents were automatically re-elected and did not appear on the ballot.

Group 2

☑ David P. Kreider (i)

Group 3

☑ Robert E. Roundtree, Jr. (i)

Group 6

☑ Donna Keim (i)

Group 9

☑ Mark W. Moseley (i)

Group 10

☑ James Colaw (i)

Group 12

☑ Monica J. Brasington (i)

Florida 9th Circuit Court

The 9th Circuit Court includes Orange and Osceola counties. Only two of the 12 seats up for election on the court had more than one candidate file.

Group 3

☑ A. James Craner (i)

Group 4

☐ Orley Burey
☑ Luis Calderon
☐ Joseph Haynes Davis

Group 6

☑ Christi L. Underwood (i)

Group 8

☑ Alice Blackwell (i)

Group 9

☑ Renee A. Roche (i)

Group 13

☑ Donald A. Myers, Jr. (i)

Group 14

☑ Daniel Traver (i)
☐ Lorraine DeYoung

Group 17

☑ Robert J. Egan (i)

Group 23

☑ Julie H. O'Kane (i)

Group 25

☑ Greg Tynan (i)

Group 29

☑ Patricia Strowbridge (i)

Group 38

☑ Lisa Taylor Munyon (i)

Florida 10th Circuit Court

The 10th Circuit Court includes Hardee, Highlands, and Polk counties. The nine seats up for election on the court in 2016 were all unopposed. The races were canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Donald G. Jacobsen (i)

Group 4

☑ Kelly P. Butz (i)

Group 9

☑ Keith Spoto (i)

Group 12

☑ Michael E. Raiden (i)

Group 13

☑ Ellen S. Masters (i)

Group 15

☑ Reinaldo Ojeda (i)

Group 17

☑ J. Kevin Abdoney (i)

Group 20

☑ Angela Cowden (i)

Group 22

☑ James A. Yancey (i)

Florida 11th Circuit Court

The 11th Circuit Court serves Miami-Dade County. Of the 19 seats up for election on the court in 2016, 14 were unopposed and their elections were canceled.

Group 3

☑ John Schlesinger (i)

Group 6

☑ Rodolfo Ruiz (i)

Group 9

☐ Jason Bloch (i)
☑ Marcia Del Rey

Group 10

☑ Scott M. Bernstein (i)

Group 12

☑ Bertila Soto (i)

Group 20

☑ John W. Thornton, Jr. (i)

Group 28

☑ Jennifer D. Bailey (i)

Group 30

☑ Rosa I. Rodriguez (i)

Group 32

☑ Barbara Areces (i)

Group 34

☑ Mark Blumstein
☐ Renee Gordon
☐ Denise Martinez-Scanziani
☐ Luis Perez-Medina

Group 39

☑ David Young

Group 40

☑ William Thomas (i)

Group 41

☑ Milton Hirsch (i)

Group 45

☑ Samantha Ruiz-Cohen (i)

Group 52

☐ Rosy Aponte
☐ Carol Breece
☑ Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts

Group 59

☑ Nushin G. Sayfie (i)

Group 62

☑ Monica Gordo (i)

Group 66

☑ Robert J. Luck (i)
☐ Yolly Roberson

Group 74

☑ George A. Sarduy (i)
☐ Elena Ortega-Tauler

Florida 12th Circuit Court

The 12th Circuit Court includes DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. Both of its seats that were scheduled for election in 2016 were unopposed. The elections were canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were re-elected.

Group 2

☑ Diana Moreland (i)

Group 11

☑ Thomas W. Krug (i)

Florida 13th Circuit Court

The 13th Circuit Court serves Hillsborough County. Seven of the nine seats on the court up for election in 2016 had only one candidate file. Those elections were canceled, and the incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 3

☐ Robin Fernandez Fuson
☑ Carl C. Hinson

Group 4

☑ Elizabeth G. Rice (i)

Group 6

☑ Wesley Tibbals (i)

Group 17

☑ Chris Nash (i)

Group 22

☑ Denise Almeida-Pomponio (i)

Group 23

☑ Mark Kiser (i)

Group 24

☐ Isabel Boza Sevelin
☐ Gary Dolgin
☑ Melissa Polo
☐ Lanell Williams-Yulee

Group 36

☑ Emmett Battles (i)

Group 37

☑ Tom Barber (i)

Florida 14th Circuit Court

The 14th Circuit Court includes Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. The four seats up for election on the court in 2016 had only one candidate file for each race. The elections were canceled, and the unopposed candidates were automatically elected.

Group 1

☑ Tim Register

Group 2

☑ Pete Mallory (i)

Group 5

☑ Christopher Patterson (i)

Group 8

☑ Brantley S. Clark, Jr. (i)

Florida 15th Circuit Court

The 15th Circuit Court serves Palm Beach County. Nine of the 13 seats up for election on the court were unopposed. Those elections were canceled, and the unopposed candidates were automatically elected.

Group 1

☑ Dina Keever (i)
☐ Robert Ostrov

Group 2

☑ Howard K. Coates (i)

Group 3

☑ Laura Johnson

Group 4

☑ Luis Delgado
☐ Gregory Tendrich
☐ Jeremy Zubkoff

Group 7

☑ Cheryl Caracuzzo (i)

Group 9

☑ Edward Artau (i)

Group 10

☑ Krista Marx (i)

Group 15

☑ Meenu Sasser (i)

Group 17

☑ Scott Suskauer (i)

Group 23

☑ John S. Kastrenakes (i)

Group 28

☑ Kirk C. Volker (i)

Group 31

☑ Donald W. Hafele (i)

Group 33

☑ Lisa Small (i)

Florida 16th Circuit Court

The 16th Circuit Court serves Monroe County. Only one seat was up for election on the court in 2016, but the race was unopposed. The election was canceled, and incumbent Judge Tim Koenig was automatically re-elected.

Group 2

☑ Tim Koenig (i)

Florida 17th Circuit Court

The 17th Circuit Court serves Broward County. Eleven of the 15 seats up for election on the court were unopposed. Those races were canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 2

☑ Kenneth Gillespie (i)

Group 4

☑ Elijah H. Williams (i)

Group 6

☑ Carlos Augusto Rodriguez (i)

Group 9

☑ Andrea Ruth Gundersen
☐ Lea Krauss
☐ Maxine Streeter

Group 13

☑ Hope Tieman-Bristol (i)

Group 14

☑ William W. Haury, Jr. (i)

Group 15

☐ Matthew I. Destry (i)
☐ Haccord Curry Jr.
☑ Barbara Duffy
☐ Brian Greenwald
☐ Abbe Rifkin

Group 22

☑ Carlos S. Rebollo (i)

Group 23

☑ Barbara McCarthy (i)
☐ David Salomon

Group 24

☐ Doreen Turner Inkeles
☑ Michael Lynch

Group 47

☑ Lisa Porter (i)

Group 48

☑ Stacy Ross (i)

Group 50

☑ Michael L. Gates (i)

Group 51

☑ Sandra Perlman (i)

Group 53

☑ Edward H. Merrigan Jr. (i)

Florida 18th Circuit Court

The 18th Circuit Court includes Brevard and Seminole. Five of the six seats up for election on the court in 2016 were unopposed. Those races were canceled and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Kelly Jo McKibben (i)

Group 3

☑ Jessica Recksiedler (i)

Group 6

☑ W. David Dugan (i)

Group 9

☐ Steve Henderson
☐ Bob Moletteire
☑ Christina Sanchez

Group 16

☑ Michael J. Rudisill (i)

Group 22

☑ Morgan Laur Reinman (i)

Florida 19th Circuit Court

The 19th Circuit Court includes Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties. Three of the five seats up for election on the court in 2016 were unopposed. Those races were canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ James W. McCann (i)
☐ Beth Allen

Group 2

☑ Gary L. Sweet (i)

Group 6

☑ Michael McNicholas
☐ Robert Meadows
☐ Kiernan Moylan
☐ Leonard S. Villafranco

Group 8

☑ Janet Carney Croom (i)

Group 9

☑ Charles A. Schwab (i)

Florida 20th Circuit Court

The 20th Circuit Court includes Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties. All eight seats on the court up for election in 2016 were unopposed. The races were canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 7

☑ James R. Shenko (i)

Group 10

☑ Nick Thompson (i)

Group 12

☑ Jay B. Rosman (i)

Group 13

☑ Ramiro Mañalich (i)

Group 15

☑ Alane C. Laboda (i)

Group 19

☑ James D. Sloan (i)

Group 22

☑ Lauren L. Brodie (i)

Group 24

☑ Robert Branning (i)

County court

Alachua

Alachua County Court

Three seats on the Alachua County Court were scheduled for election in 2016. All three races were canceled after only the sitting incumbent judges filed for the election.

Group 1

☑ Susan Miller-Jones (i)

Group 3

☑ Walter M. Green (i)

Group 5

☑ Thomas M. Jaworski (i)

The county is a part of the 8th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Baker

Baker County Court

No seats on the Baker County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 8th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Bay

Bay County Court

One seat on the Bay County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Thomas Welch was the only candidate to file for the race. The election was canceled, and Welch was automatically re-elected.

Group 3

☑ Thomas Welch (i)
The county is a part of the 14th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Bradford

Bradford County Court

The sole seat on the Bradford County Court was up for election in 2016. Five candidates filed to replace incumbent Judge Richard B. Davis, Jr., who did not file to seek re-election.

☐ John Cooper
☑ Tatum Davis

☐ Curtis Sanders
☐ Paul Sanders

☐ Dan Sikes

The county is a part of the 8th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Brevard

Brevard County Court

Five seats on the Brevard County Court were up for election in 2016. Four of the seats are unopposed. Group 2 incumbent A.B. Majeed did not file to seek re-election. Four candidates filed in the race to replace him.

Group 1

☑ David E. Silverman (i)

Group 2

☐ Francis DeMuro
☐ Oscar Hotusing
☑ Kelly McCormack Ingram
☐ Rod Kernan

Group 4

☑ Rhonda E. Babb (i)

Group 9

☑ David Koenig (i)

The county is a part of the 18th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Broward

Broward County Court

Fifteen seats on the Broward County Court were up for election in 2016. Eight of the seats are unopposed.

Group 1

☑ John D. Fry (i)

Group 2

☑ Kal Le Var Koble Evans (i)
☐ Phyllis Pritcher

Group 3

☐ Adam Geller
☑ Florence Taylor Barner
☐ Rhoda Sokoloff
☐ W. Dale Miller

Group 4

☑ Daniel Kanner (i)

Group 7

☑ Nina Weatherly Di Pietro (i)
☐ Brenda Di Ioia
☐ Ian Richards

Group 8

☐ Stephen Zaccor (i)
☑ Kathleen McCarthy

Group 12

☑ John Hurley (i)

Group 13

☑ Betsy Benson
☐ Mark Kushner

Adriana Alcalde - Did not qualify

Group 14

☐ Alfreda Coward
☐ Samuel D. Lopez
☑ Kim Mollica
☐ Bradford Peterson

Group 15

☑ Mindy Solomon (i)

Group 17

☑ Eric Beller

Group 20

☑ Kenneth Gottlieb (i)

Group 21

☑ Deborah Carpenter-Toye
☐ Russell Thompson

Group 26

☑ Mardi Levey Cohen (i)

Group 28

☑ Giuseppina Miranda (i)

The county is a part of the 17th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Calhoun

Calhoun County Court

No seats on the Calhoun County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 14th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Charlotte

Charlotte County Court

No seats on the Charlotte County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 20th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Citrus

Citrus County Court

The sole seat on the Citrus County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Mark J. Yerman was the only candidate to file for the races. The election was canceled, and Yerman was automatically re-elected.

☑ Mark J. Yerman (i)
The county is a part of the 5th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Clay

Clay County Court

The Group 1 seat on the Clay County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Timothy R. Collins was the only candidates to file for the race. The election was canceled, and Collins was automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Timothy R. Collins (i)
The county is a part of the 4th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Collier

Collier County Court

One seat on the Collier County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Michael J. Provost was the only candidates to file for the race. The election was canceled, and Provost was automatically re-elected.

Group 3

☑ Michael J. Provost (i)
The county is a part of the 20th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Columbia

Columbia County Court

No seats on the Columbia County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 3rd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

DeSoto

DeSoto County Court

One seat on the DeSoto County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Don T. Hall was the only candidate to file for the race. The election was canceled, and Hall was automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Don T. Hall (i)
The county is a part of the 12th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Dixie

Dixie County Court

No seats on the Dixie County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 3rd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Duval

Duval County Court

Five seats on the Duval County Court were scheduled for election in 2016. As the incumbent judges were the only candidates to file in all of the races, the elections were canceled and the opposed justices were re-elected.

Group 5

☑ Eric Roberson (i)

Group 6

☑ Eleni Derke (i)

Group 10

☑ Ronald P. Higbee (i)

Group 15

☑ John A. Moran (i)

Group 16

☑ Lester Bass (i)

The county is a part of the 4th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Escambia

Escambia County Court

Two seats on the Escambia County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Both incumbent judges were the only candidates to file for the races. The elections were canceled, and the judges were automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Patricia A. Kinsey (i)

Group 3

☑ Jennifer J. Frydrychowicz (i)

The county is a part of the 1st Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Flagler

Flagler County Court

Flagler County's sole county court seat was not up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 7th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Franklin

Franklin County Court

The sole seat on the Franklin County Court was not up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 2nd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Gadsden

Gadsden County Court

The sole seat on the Gadsden County Court was not up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 2nd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Gilchrist

Gilchrist County Court

The sole seat on the Gilchrist County Court was not up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 8th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Glades

Glades County Court

No seats on the Glades County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 20th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Gulf

Gulf County Court

No seats on the Gulf County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 14th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Hamilton

Hamilton County Court

No seats on the Hamilton County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 3rd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Hardee

Hardee County Court

No seats on the Hardee County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 10th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Hendry

Hendry County Court

One seat on the Hendry County Court was up for election in 2016. The incumbent judge and one challenger filed for the race.

Group 1

☑ Scott Cupp (i)
☐ Daniel Paige

The county is a part of the 20th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Hernando

Hernando County Court

The sole seat on the Hernando County Court was up for election in 2016. Incumbent Donald McCathran Jr. faced one challenger in his re-election bid.

☐ Donald McCathran Jr. (i)
☑ Kristie Ruppe

The county is a part of the 5th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Highlands

Highlands County Court

No seats on the Highlands County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 10th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Hillsborough

Hillsborough County Court

Three seats on the Hillsborough County Court were up for election in 2016. Two of the seats are unopposed. Those elections were canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 10

☐ Shelton Bridges
☑ Miriam Valkenburg

Group 13

☑ Art McNeil (i)

Group 14

☑ Paul T. Jeske (i)

The county is a part of the 13th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Holmes

Holmes County Court

The sole seat on the Holmes County Court was up for election in 2016. Four candidates filed to replace incumbent Judge Owen N. Powell, who did not file to seek re-election.

☐ Roseanna Bronhard
☑ Luke Taylor

☐ Timothy H. Wells

☐ Brandon J. Young

The county is a part of the 14th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Indian River

Indian River County Court

No seats on the Indian River County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 19th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Jackson

Jackson County Court

No seats on the Jackson County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 14th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Jefferson

Jefferson County Court

No seats on the Jefferson County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 2nd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Lafayette

Lafayette County Court

No seats on the Lafayette County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 3rd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Lake

Lake County Court

One seat on the Lake County Court was up for election in 2016. Incumbent Donna F. Miller did not file to run for re-election. Five candidates filed to replace her in the Group 2 seat.

Group 2

☐ Ben Boylston
☑ Brian Welke
☐ Cary Rada
☐ Jonathan Olson
☐ Judy A. Stewart

The county is a part of the 5th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Lee

Lee County Court

One seat on the Lee County Court was up for election in 2016. The incumbent judge and one challenger filed for the race.

Group 4

☑ Archie B. Hayward, Jr. (i)
☐ Leah Harwood

The county is a part of the 20th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Leon

Leon County Court

One seat on the Leon County Court was up for election in 2016. The incumbent judge and one challenger filed for the race. Leon County is also part of the 2nd Circuit Court, which had four seats scheduled for election.

Group 4

☑ J. Layne Smith (i)
☐ Monique Richardson

The county is a part of the 2nd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Levy

Levy County Court

No seats on the Levy County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 8th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Liberty

Liberty County Court

No seats on the Liberty County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 2nd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Madison

Madison County Court

No seats on the Madison County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 3rd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Manatee

Manatee County Court

One seat on the Manatee County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge K. Douglas Henderson was the only candidate to file for the race. The election was canceled, and Henderson was automatically re-elected.

Group 2

☑ K. Douglas Henderson (i)
The county is a part of the 12th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Marion

Marion County Court

One seat on the Marion County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Jim McCune was the only candidate to file for the races. The election was canceled, and McCune was automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Jim McCune (i)
The county is a part of the 5th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Martin

Martin County Court

One seat on the Martin County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Darren Steele was the only candidate to file for the race. The election was canceled, and Steele was automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Darren Steele (i)
The county is a part of the 19th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Miami-Dade

Miami-Dade County Court

Eight seats on the Miami-Dade County Court were up for election in 2016. Three races were canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected in those cases.

Group 5

☑ Fred Seraphin(i)
☐ Milena Abreu

Group 7

☑ Edward Newman(i)
☐ Lizzet Martinez

Group 11

☑ Michaelle Gonzalez-Paulson (i)

Group 15

☑ Linda Luce
☐ Ruben Alcoba
☐ Judith Rubenstein - Withdrawn (i)
☐ Eleane Sosa-Bruzon - Withdrawn
☐ Raúl Pérez-Ceballos - Withdrawn

Group 23

☑ Carroll J. Kelly (i)
☐ Rosy Aponte

Group 35

☑ Wendell M. Graham (i)
☐ Antonio Jimenez

Group 37

☑ Diana Vizcaino (i)

Group 42

☑ Laura Stuzin (i)

The county is a part of the 11th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Monroe

Monroe County Court

Three seats on the Monroe County Court were up for election in 2016. Two of the seats are unopposed. Group 3 incumbent W. Reagan Ptomey, Jr. announced in February 2015 that he would not be seeking re-election to a new term. Two candidates vied to replace Ptomey.

Group 1

☑ Peary Stafford Fowler (i)

Group 3

☑ Sharon Hamilton
☐ Rob Stober

Group 4

☑ Ruth Becker (i)

The county is a part of the 16th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Nassau

Nassau County Court

Nassau County's sole county court seat was not up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 4th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Okaloosa

Okaloosa County Court

Two seats on the Okaloosa County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Both incumbent judges were the only candidates to file for the races. The election was canceled, and the judges were automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Jim Ward (i)

Group 2

☑ T. Patt Maney (i)

The county is a part of the 1st Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Okeechobee

Okeechobee County Court

No seats on the Okeechobee County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 19th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Orange

Orange County Court

Seven seats on the Orange County Court were up for election in 2016. Four of the seats are unopposed.

Group 1

☑ Eric DuBois
☐ Michael Gibson
☐ Roger Scott

Group 4

☑ David Johnson
☐ Kafi Kennedy Swanson
☐ Thomas Wade Young

Group 5

☐ Mark Anthony Arias
☐ Harold M. Bacchus
☐ Frank George
☑ Evellen Jewett

Group 8

☑ Elizabeth Starr (i)

Group 9

☑ Wayne J. Shoemaker (i)

Group 12

☑ Gisela Laurent

Group 16

☑ Tanya Davis Wilson (i)

The county is a part of the 9th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Osceola

Osceola County Court

No seats on the Osceola County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 9th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Palm Beach

Palm Beach County Court

Eight seats on the Palm Beach County Court were up for election in 2016. Five of the seats are unopposed.

Group 7

☑ Marni A. Bryson (i)
☐ Lisa Ann Grossman

Group 8

☑ Mark Eissey (i)

Group 9

☑ Paul Damico (i)

Group 11

☐ Thomas R. Baker
☐ Gregg Lerman
☑ Dana Santino

Group 13

☑ Caroline Shepherd (i)

Group 15

☐ Esther Feistmann
☑ Bradley Harper

Group 16

☑ Sheree Davis Cunningham (i)

Group 17

☑ August Bonavita (i)

The county is a part of the 15th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Pasco

Pasco County Court

One seat on the Pasco County Court was up for election in 2016. Incumbent Debra Roberts faced two challengers in her re-election bid.

Group 4

☑ Debra Roberts (i)
☐ Scott Tremblay
☐ Micahel P. Wilson

The county is a part of the 6th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Pinellas

Pinellas County Court

Seven seats on the Pinellas County Court were up for election in 2016. Only two of the seats had more than one candidate file for the election. The other five races were canceled and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ John D. Carballo (i)

Group 4

☑ Holly Grissinger (i)

Group 6

☑ Paul A. Levine (i)

Group 8

☑ Dora Komninos
☐ Curtis Korsko

Group 9

☑ Myriam Irizarry (i)
☐ Dwight Dudley

Group 12

☑ Dorothy Vaccaro (i)

Group 13

☑ Kathleen T. Hessinger (i)

The county is a part of the 6th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Polk

Polk County Court

Five seats on the Polk County Court were up for election in 2016. Three of the seats are unopposed. Those elections were canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Robert G. Fegers (i)

Group 4

☑ Mary Green (i)
☐ Mark Kaylor - Withdrawn

Group 6

☑ Sharon M. Franklin (i)

Group 8

☑ Susan Barber Flood (i)
☐ Carson Bassett

Group 9

☑ Gerald Paul Hill II

The county is a part of the 10th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Putnam

Putnam County Court

Neither of Putnam County's county court seats were not up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 7th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

St Johns

St. Johns County Court

One seat on the St. Johns County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Charles J. Tinlin was the only candidate to file for the Group 2 race. The election was canceled, and Tinlin was automatically re-elected.

Group 2

☑ Charles J. Tinlin (i)
The county is a part of the 7th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

St Lucie

St. Lucie County Court

One seat on the St. Lucie County Court was up for election in 2016. The incumbent judge and one challenger filed for the race.

Group 3

☐ Nirlaine Tallandier Smartt (i)
☑ Ed Alonzo

The county is a part of the 19th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa County Court

The Group 1 seat on the Santa Rosa County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Robert Hilliard was the only candidates to file for the races. The election was canceled, and Hilliard was automatically re-elected. The county is part of the state's 1st Circuit Court, which had four seats scheduled for election.

Group 1

☑ Robert Hilliard (i)
The county is a part of the 1st Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Sarasota

Sarasota County Court

Three seats on the Sarasota County Court were scheduled for election in 2016. The sitting judges were the only candidates to file for the races. The election was canceled, and the unopposed incumbents were automatically re-elected.

Group 1

☑ Phyllis Galen (i)

Group 3

☑ Maryann Boehm (i)

Group 5

☑ Erika Quartermaine (i)

The county is a part of the 12th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Seminole

Seminole County Court

One seat on the Seminole County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Fred Schott was the only candidate to file for the Group 5 race. The election was canceled, and Schott was automatically re-elected.

Group 5

☑ Fred Schott (i)
The county is a part of the 18th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Sumter

Sumter County Court

No seats on the Sumter County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 5th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Suwannee

Suwannee County Court

The sole seat on the Suwannee County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge William F. Williams was the only candidates to file for the races. The election was canceled, and Williams was automatically re-elected.

☑ William F. Williams (i)
The county is a part of the 1st Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Taylor

Taylor County Court

No seats on the Taylor County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 3rd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Union

Union County Court

No seats on the Union County Court were up for election in 2016.
The county is a part of the 8th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Volusia

Volusia County Court

Two seats on the Pinellas County Court were up for election in 2016. Only one of the seats had a contested race.

Group 3

☑ Shirley A. Green (i)
☐ Heather Caeners
☐ Marla Rawnsley

Group 9

☑ Robert A. Sanders Jr. (i)

The county is a part of the 7th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Wakulla

Wakulla County Court

The sole seat on the Wakulla County Court was up for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Jill C. Walker was the only candidate to file for the race, leading to the election's cancellation and her automatic re-election. Wakulla County is also part of the 2nd Circuit Court, which had four seats scheduled for election.

☑ Jill C. Walker (i)
The county is a part of the 2nd Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Walton

Walton County Court

The sole seat on the Walton County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent David W. Green was the only candidate to file for the race. The election was canceled, and Green was automatically re-elected. The county is part of the state's 1st Circuit Court, which had four seats scheduled for election.

☑ David W. Green (i)
The county is a part of the 1st Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Washington

Washington County Court

The sole seat on the Washington County Court was scheduled for election in 2016. Incumbent Judge Colby Peel was the only candidate to file for the race. The election was canceled, and Peel was automatically re-elected.

☑ Colby Peel (i)
The county is a part of the 14th Circuit Court. Click here to view the circuit court races.

Election rules

Election rules

Each of Florida's 67 counties has its own county court with varying numbers of judges serving on each county court's bench; 39 of those counties held elections for 101 seats. The other 28 did not have county court seats up for election in 2016. These courts handle such matters as misdemeanors, small claims (under $500 disputed), civil cases (under $15,000 disputed), and traffic violations.

The state has 20 circuit courts, which hear felony, family law, civil (over $15,000 disputed), probate issues, and juvenile cases. They also hear appeals from county courts. A total of 151 circuit court seats were up for election.

Primary election

The opposed races appeared on the primary ballot on August 30, 2016. Candidates who won a majority of the votes cast in the primary do not face a general election. Any race where no candidate won 50 percent plus one of the primary votes cast advances to the general election on November 8, 2016. Candidate filing closed on June 24, 2016.

To get on the ballot, candidates for judicial office are required to obtain signatures equal to at least one percent of the number of registered electors in the geographic boundary of the district. Trial court judicial candidates compete in nonpartisan primaries designed to narrow the field to two candidates for the general election. Candidates who receive a simple majority (fifty percent plus one vote) of the vote in the primary are considered winners and are not on the ballot in the general election unless a write-in candidate qualifies for the same office.

General election

In the general election, trial court candidates compete in nonpartisan elections. Partisan organizations and political parties are forbidden from endorsing, supporting, or opposing candidates for office.

Recent news

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Florida judicial election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Florida local trial court judicial elections, 2016 - Google News

See also

• Judicial elections, 2016
• Florida judicial elections
• Judicial selection in Florida

Footnotes

Florida courts

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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