Most of Florida’s 20 elected state attorneys and 20 public defenders learned Friday they will be serving another four years in office because nobody met the qualifying deadline to run against them.
An uproar over police-involved shootings isn’t exactly translating into a revolution at the ballot box. Just seven state attorneys and five public defenders drew opponents in Florida this year.
But veteran Leon County Public Defender Nancy Daniels says it’s not uncommon to only have one or two races in an election year. Daniels says hefty qualifying fees make many candidates think twice.
“And so, people to get on a ballot have to either use the petition method, and collect at lot of petition signatures, or in the larger circuits they have to raise the fee or pay the fee out of their own pockets, so there are some disincentives.”
Daniels is stepping down after 26 years and she will be replaced by Democrat Andy Thomas, who drew no opponents. However, three candidates, two Democrats and a Republican, are vying for the seat being vacated by longtime Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs.
State attorneys and public defenders serve four-year terms in Florida. They are chosen by voters in their respective judicial circuits.
