Florida Bar News

39 circuit and county court races decided, 12 headed to runoffs in November

Three circuit court races and nine county court contests are heading for runoffs on the November general election ballot following voting in Florida’s August 23 primary.

The balloting decided another 17 circuit and 22 county court races, whose winners will be sworn in next January. Three incumbent circuit judges were unseated and two incumbent county judges were defeated.

Florida’s trial court elections appear on the primary ballot and in contests with three or more candidates where no one gets a majority of the vote, the top two finishers face off in the general election.

Also appearing on that November ballot will be the merit retention elections for Supreme Court Justices Charles T. Canady, John D. Couriel, Jamie Grosshans, Jorge Labarga, and Ricky Polston. Another 28 district court of appeal judges will also be standing for retention.

All results are based on unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s website for the circuit court races and from individual supervisors’ of election websites for county court contests. If a result has been missed, please contact Editor Mark Killian at [email protected].

The circuit results include:

• In the Sixth Circuit, in Group 22, Judge Cynthia Newton with 59.74% of the vote defeated Nicholas “Nick” Fiorentino, 40.26%. In Group 27, Judge Keith Meyer, 65.37% defeated Scott Finelli, 34.63%.

• In the Eighth Circuit, in Group 12, Sean Brewer, 37.53%, will face AuBroncee Martin, 25.45%, in a runoff in November. Nathan A. Skop, 17.08, and Dan Weisman, 19.95%, were eliminated.

• In the Ninth Circuit, in Group 9, Alison Kerestes, 55.86%, defeated Fay Olga Pappas, 44.14%. In Group 14, Judge John Beamer, 52.73%, bested Michael Stewart, 47.27%. In Group 44, Judge Vincent Chiu, 66.79%, defeated Aldo Bartolone, 33.21%.

• In the 11th Circuit, in Group 3, Judge Lody Jean, 56.81%, defeated challenger Teressa Maria Cervera, 43.19%. In Group 20, Judge Robert Watson, 52.77%, turned back Brenda Guerrero, 47.23%. In Group 34, Ariel Rodriguez, 51.47%, unseated Judge Mark Blumstein, 48.53%. In Group 52, Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts, 50.35%, bested Jason Edward Bloch, 49.65%.

• In the 13th Circuit, in Group 6, Judge Wesley Tibbals, 58.39%, defeated Belinda Noah, 41.61%. In Group 37, Nancy L. Jacobs, 51.87% defeated Judge Jared Smith, 48.13%.

• In the 15th Circuit, in Group 23, Caryn Siperstein, 64.06%, bested Alcolya St. Juste, 35.94%.

• In the 17th Circuit, in Group 9, Lauren Melissa Alperstein, 65.27%, defeated Judge Andrea Ruth Gundersen, 34.73%. In Group 14, Judge William W. “Bill” Haury, Jr., 64.16%, bested Alejandro “Alex” Arreaza, 35.84%. In Group 23, Gary M. Farmer, Jr., 38.67%, and Tania Maria Williams, 32.18%, are headed to a runoff. Rhoda Sokoloff, 29.15%, was eliminated. In Group 51, Lorena Mastrarrigo, 39.45%, is headed to a runoff with Tamar N. Hamilton, 34.71%. Denise Kistner, 25.85%, was eliminated.

• In the 18th Circuit, in Group 3, Judge Jessica Recksiedler, 57.25%, defeated John Mannion, 42.75%.

• In the 19th Circuit, in Group 1, Judge Rebecca White, 72.16%, defeated Christian Van Riper 27.84%. In Group 2, Leatha Dawn Mullins, 59.45%, defeated Alexander Stuart Nelson, 40.55%.

Here are the county results:

• Brevard County: In Group 2, Judge Kelly Ingram, with 63.93%, defeated David A. Baker, 36.07%. In Group 4, Renee Torpy, with 40.10%, will go to a runoff with Kimberly Musselman, 36.39%, Rodney Antonio Edwards, 23.51%, was eliminated.

• Broward County: In Group 15, Chris Marion Brown, with 42.11%, will go to a runoff against Suzette O. Hyde, 37.75%. Michael G. Ahearn, 20.15%, was eliminated. In Group 26, Judge Mardi Anne Levey Cohen, with 50.08%, defeated Kaysia Monica Earley, 49.92%.

• Citrus County: In Group 1, Edward C. Spaight, with 57.13%, defeated Lisa Elaine Yeager, 42.87%.

• Clay County: In Group 1, Ramond Edward Forbess, 50.87%, will go to a runoff with Tonya Barge, 27.45%. Geraldine Hartin, 21.68%, was eliminated.

• Collier County:In Group 3, Chris Brown, with 52.7%, defeated Pamela Barger, 47.3%.

• Escambia County:Scott Ritchie, with 64.58%, defeated Paul J. Hamlin, 35.42%.

• Hillsborough County:In Group 14, Melissa Black, with 29.85%, will go to a runoff with Mike Isaak, 28.38%. Linette “Starr” Brookins, 28.03%, and Alicia Whiting Bozich, 13.74%, were eliminated.

• Lee County:In Group 4, Lindsay Scott Garza, with 64.02%, defeated Judge Archie B. Hayward, Jr., 35.98%.

• Leon County: In Group 1, Judge Jason L. Jones, with 68.25%, defeated Mario R. Theodore, 31.75%.

• Marion County:In Group 1, Renee Thompson, with 40.44%, will go to a runoff with LeAnn Mackey-Barnes, 35.55%. Danielle B. Ruse, 24.01%, was eliminated. In Group 2, Judge Lori Cotton, with 60.91%, defeated William Harris, 39.09%.

• Miami-Dade County:In Group 5, Judge Fred Seraphin, with 56.50%, defeated Renier Diaz de la Portilla, 43.50%. In Group 19, Lisette De La Rosa, with 50.89%, defeated Judge Jeffrey M. Kolokoff, 49.11%. In Group 42, Alicia Garcia Priovolos, with 59.95%, defeated Judge Scott Janowitz, 40.05%.

• Monroe County:In Group 1, Albert “Al” Kelley, with 63.76%, defeated Jason R. Smith, 36.24%.

• Orange County:In Group 2, Judge Andrew A. Bain, with 63.50%, defeated Jared Adelman, 36.50%. In Group 8, Judge Elizabeth Starr, with 67.08%, defeated Michael Morris, 32.92%. In Group 9, Amanda Sampaio Bova, with 68.93%, defeated Steven Miller, 31.07%. In Group 17, Judge Elizabeth Joy Gibson, with 66.18%, defeated Josh Adams, 33.82%.

• Palm Beach County:In Group 9, Judge Paul Damico, with 61.66%, defeated Karen Velez, 38.34%.

• Pasco County:In Group 4, Patrick Moore, with 60.72%, defeated Clementine “CC” Conde, 39.28%.

• Pinellas County:In Group 1, Della Cope, with 44.06%, will move on to a runoff with Megan Roach, 29.45%. David Constantine Moran, 26.49%, was eliminated. In Group 13, Judge Kathleen T. “Kathy” Hessinger, with 72.18%, defeated Kenneth “Ken” Afienko, 27.82%.

• Polk County:In Group 8, John Flynn, with 35.82%, will move on to a runoff with Ruth Moracen Knight, 19.91%. Adam David Patton, 18.90%, Tara Wheat, 16.26%, and Carmalita Lall, 9.11%, were eliminated.

• Seminole County: In Group 5, Judge Ken Lester, with 47.60%, will move on to a runoff with Sandy Buie, 33.57%. Erik Swenk, 18.83% was eliminated.

• Johns County:Casey L. Woolsey, with 55.82%, defeated Alyssa Camper Shorstein, 44.18%.

• Suwannee County:Jennifer Kuyrkendall Griffin, with 54.73%, defeated Ryan J. Peters, 30.28%, and Arminda W. “Mindy” Janousek, 14.99%.

• Volusia County:In Group 5, Judge Wesley “Wes” Heidt, with 52.60%, defeated Sara Howeller, 47.40%.

• Wakulla County:in Group 1, Brian Miller, with 46.98%, will move on to a runoff with Eddie Evans, 37.92%. Roseanna “Rose” Bronhard, 15.10%, was eliminated.