Supervisor of Elections: Mark Rossi will not appear on ballot for Key West Mayor

 June 27, 2018 – Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Joyce Griffin announced today that, based upon this afternoon’s ruling from Circuit Judge Timothy Koenig, she will not be listing Mark Rossi’s name on the ballot for the August 28, 2018 election for Key West Mayor. Griffin had sought guidance from the Court on whether the Florida Election Code afforded Mr. Rossi an opportunity to pay a $225 municipal election assessment fee after the qualifying deadline. Judge Koenig provided that guidance today when he ruled from the bench that a provision of the Election Code, which permits a candidate to redeem a check that was dishonored by the bank, did not apply.

“I am thankful for the Court for providing the guidance that I needed. Consistent with today’s ruling, I have determined that Mark Rossi did not satisfy all of the requirements necessary to qualify to run for Key West Mayor,” Griffin stated.
“I regret, however, any role that erroneous information on my website may have played in denying Mr. Rossi’s supporters the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice.

Last Friday, Griffin announced that her office website had mistakenly listed Rossi as having qualified when he had not paid a $225 municipal election assessment fee before the 12 noon deadline. “I do take consolation in the fact that my staff also told Mr. Rossi’s campaign treasurer the same day the website had been updated earlier in the week, that the fee still needed to be paid.”

“Because the right to vote for a candidate of one’s choice and the right to run for office are two of the most fundamental principles of our democracy, I thought the circumstances warranted seeking guidance from the Court,” Griffin explained. “I appreciate the quick ruling by the Court and the cooperation of all the candidates involved. Without that cooperation, this issue could have caused a delay in the printing and mailing of the vote-by-mail ballots.”

Today’s ruling will allow Griffin to send the ballot proofs to the printers this week. Florida law requires that the Supervisor mail out the first batch of vote-by-mail ballots to military and oversees voters by no later than July 14, 2018.

The County Attorney’s Office represented the Supervisor of Elections in this suit. In making argument to the Court today, County Attorney Bob Shillinger indicated that a 2016 decision by the Florida Supreme Court sufficiently muddied the waters to seek a declaratory judgment by the Court.

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