Democratic Primary in Orange Elections Supervisor race moved to November after only non-Dem gets booted

A pair of scuffed cowboy boots kicking up dust as their rider departs into the unknown their leather coat swaying behind them. .

There won’t be a Democratic Primary for Orange County Supervisor of Elections on Tuesday, after a Judge booted the only non-Democrat running.

Chief Judge Lisa Munyon tossed Cynthia Harris, a no-party candidate, from the race, citing her failure to pay her candidate filing fee, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Her removal from the race means there are only Democrats running, which will place the race on the General Election ballot in November as an open Primary. That means all Orange County voters, regardless of party affiliation, will be able to vote for the remaining candidates, which include Karen Castor Dentel, Dan Helm, Wes Hodge and Sunshine Linda-Marie Grund.

An open Primary could have happened on Aug. 20 as scheduled, but because ballots were already printed and some votes already cast, the election is being moved to November.

Helm brought Harris’ issue up, suing over her failure to pay the required $7,700 qualifying fee in June.

Harris did pay the filing fee, but she did so by personal check, which violates state law. Harris had claimed she filed a form declaring TD Bank, from which the check was written, as a campaign account, but no such document is on file at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office, the Sentinel reported.

The race for Supervisor of Elections will still appear on Tuesday’s ballot, but votes will not count and results will not be released publicly.

“As the court noted in its decision, our office serves a ministerial function, and it is incumbent upon candidates to know and follow the rules,” current Supervisor of Elections Glen Gilzean said, according to the Sentinel. “We will move forward with the November election under guidance from the court and the state.”

Dentel is so far the front-runner in the race, at least in terms of funds raised. As of the most recent campaign finance reports covering activity through Aug. 2, she had raised nearly $145,000. That’s more than double any other candidate. The next closest fundraiser is Hodge, with more than $63,000 raised, followed by Helm with just shy of $24,000.

The winner will replace Gilzean.