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Editorial: New election for House district

 
Published Nov. 19, 2014

State lawmakers made the right decision this week to throw out the results of a disputed race for a House district that covers parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. The move sets the stage for a new election for District 64, and it's the fastest way of ensuring that residents of the district are represented in next year's legislative session.

Lawmakers acted to break the impasse over clashing court rulings that centered on the legitimacy of a write-in candidate. A Leon County judge removed the write-in on procedural grounds, which set up a two-way race between Republican Rep. James Grant and fellow Republican Miriam Steinberg, which Grant won. An appeals court intervened, leaving the official outcome in limbo. By clearing the deck and starting over, the state could avoid a protracted legal fight while still leaving a door open for any candidate to qualify for a new election.

Gov. Rick Scott and the state's Division of Elections should act quickly to call a special election. The timeline for candidates to qualify and for the counties to accommodate early voting leaves little time for the election to produce a winner before the next legislative session begins in March. Residents in the communities of Carrollwood, Citrus Park, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor deserve the opportunity to have their representative in place as soon as possible so that their voices can be heard in Tallahassee.