Janelle Irwin Taylor
Pasco County’s municipal elections are rescheduled for June 30.
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an Executive Order (20-124) Friday rescheduled the postponed election after Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley consulted with Secretary of State Laurel Lee on a new date, as required by law.
The previous Executive Order (20-97) postponed several non-partisan elections including three races for Dade City Commission, three city council races in San Antonio and a head-to-head match in one race for Mayor of Zephyrhills.
The Zephyrhills mayoral race has since been cancelled due to one of the candidates being disqualified.
Corely originally requested DeSantis postpone the election due to threat of spreading the COVID-19 virus at polling places at what was around the peak of infections.
“Said request is consistent with providing and ensuring the health and safety of the voters, employees and poll workers in the upcoming elections,” Corley wrote to DeSantis at the time.
Turnout in Pasco County municipal elections are typically low-turnout. However, the Governor’s original order was issued to “ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote” as well as to “minimize citizen exposure to danger during this emergence” and to “protect the integrity of the electoral process.”
