The Florida Supreme Court has overruled a decision by the Secretary of State’s Office, concluding that the state’s term-limit rules allow state Rep. Deborah Mayfield to run in a special election for the state Senate seat she held for eight years.
The high court issued the decision on Feb. 13 in Mayfield’s appeal of a decision by Secretary of State Cord Byrd’s office refusing to allow Mayfield to run in a special primary election scheduled for April 1. Gov. Ron DeSantis called that special election after the current occupant of State Senate District 19, Randy Fine (R-Melbourne Beach), announced he was running for a congressional seat.
The Florida Department of State’s elections chief informed Mayfield on Feb. 5 that she did not qualify for a spot on the ballot. The reasoning for the decision was that the state constitution does not allow candidates to run for a legislative position they have already held for the previous eight years consecutively, according to the Supreme Court decision.
Mayfield held the SD 19 post for eight consecutive years, but there was a gap between when her most recent term ended (November 2024) and her decision to run for the same seat in the special election, according to the opinion, which was written by Justice Jamie Grosshans.
“Contrary to the secretary’s position, even if Mayfield returns to the Senate, she would not have served as a senator for more than eight consecutive years, for purposes of article VI, section 4 (of the state constitution),” the court’s opinion states. “Mayfield experienced a break in service when her senate term ended in November 2024. The conclusion of that term, after which Mayfield left the office of senator, brought an end to a period of ‘consecutive’ years of service.”
The Secretary of State’s Office had suggested that if Mayfield were to win the special election, she would have served in the Senate post for sequential calendar years beyond what was intended by the term-limits provisions, the opinion says.
“... We cannot read a prohibition into the constitution that does not exist because of policy concerns over gamesmanship,” the court said. “Floridians are entitled to vote for the candidate of their choice that has qualified for the office pursuant to constitutional and statutory requirements, as Mayfield has done in this case.”
The Secretary of State’s Office seemed to take the high court’s ruling in stride.
“We appreciate the court providing us clarity on this unsettled constitutional issue, and we will comply with the court’s decision,” Gretl Plessinger, spokeswoman for the Department of State, told the Florida Record in an email.
In its arguments before the court, the Department of State also mentioned that the closeness of the approaching special-election primary date supported dismissal of Mayfield’s petition in order to avoid last-minute ballot changes, but the justices rejected the argument.
Sen. Fine recently said on X, formerly Twitter, that he is endorsing Mayfield to replace him in the state Senate.
“I enthusiastically endorse @debbie_mayfield to replace me in the @FLSenate,” Fine said. “I am thrilled the Supreme Court repudiated the lawfare against her unanimously. Debbie stood with @realDonaldTrump last year, and I know (she) will be a tireless fighter for his agenda in Florida.”
The high court also indicated that the court’s decision about Mayfield’s candidacy was final and that no motion for a rehearing would be entertained.