Outgoing Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) issued an executive order on Friday to immediately suspend Broward County election chief Brenda Snipes following widespread criticism of the county’s vote tallying in November’s midterm elections.
“Every eligible voter in Florida deserves their vote to be counted and should have confidence in Florida’s elections process,” Scott said in a statement. “After a series of inexcusable actions, it’s clear that there needs to be an immediate change in Broward County and taxpayers should no longer be burdened by paying a salary for a Supervisor of Elections who has already announced resignation.”
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Snipes submitted her resignation earlier this month after Republicans accused her of illegal activity during the recounts in Florida’s Senate and gubernatorial races.
Scott, one of Snipes’s fiercest critics, cited “widespread issues with voting” and “misfeasance, incompetence and neglect of duty” as reasons for suspending the election official.
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Voting in Broward County this cycle took longer than other Florida counties and was marred by allegations of misconduct by election overseers.
Several Republicans, including President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) and Sen. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioHillicon Valley: Georgia officials launch investigation after election day chaos | Senate report finds Chinese telecom groups operated in US without proper oversight Republican Senators ask FCC to ‘clearly define’ when social media platforms should receive liability protections Trump’s tweet on protester sparks GOP backlash MORE (R-Fla.), alleged possible voter fraud.
“If you look at Broward County, they have had a horrible history,” Trump told reporters at the White House earlier in the month. “And if you look at the person, in this case a woman, involved, she has had a horrible history, and all of the sudden they’re finding votes out of nowhere and Rick Scott, who won, you know it was close, who won by a comfortable margin, every couple of hours it goes down by a little bit.”
Florida law enforcement has so far not seen evidence of criminal conduct in the state’s elections.
Republicans were ultimately successful in both contests, with Scott unseating Sen. Bill NelsonClarence (Bill) William NelsonNASA, SpaceX and the private-public partnership that caused the flight of the Crew Dragon Lobbying world The most expensive congressional races of the last decade MORE (D) in the hotly contested Florida Senate race and Ron DeSantisRonald Dion DeSantisGOP tentatively decides on Jacksonville for site of convention DeSantis pushing to host Republican National Convention in Florida Florida bars and theaters to reopen starting Friday, DeSantis says MORE (R) edging out Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D) to become the Sunshine State’s next governor.
Scott appointed Peter Antonacci, who currently serves as the President and CEO of Enterprise Florida, to replace Snipes. He has served as a state attorney in Palm Beach County.